Recent Alerts
4/25/2025 - On March 24, 2025, we advised you that the NCA had joined a coalition of over 300
other associations in opposing proposed fees on Chinese-built and -owned ships
transporting goods to U.S. ports. On April 17, the Office of the United States Trade
Representative (USTR) announced the measures to be adopted in the wake of the
initial proposal, which will result in fees on Chinese-built and -owned ships
transporting goods to U.S. ports.
4/15/2025 - As we informed you last week, Congressman William Timmons (R-SC) and Congresswoman Jill Tokuda (D-HI) have officially launched the new, bipartisan Congressional Coffee Caucus. The Caucus will serve as a platform for members of Congress to advance discussion and advocacy related to coffee’s agricultural resilience, role in healthy diets, and contributions to the U.S. economy. We are writing today to seek your support in getting more members of Congress to join the Caucus—asking that you contact your Representatives.
4/10/2025 - This alert supplements our April 7 member alert. We previously referenced two U.S. customs issues, namely: (1) marking of country of origin on U.S. imports; and (2) claiming United States Mexico Canada Agreement (“USMCA”) tariff treatment. This alert sets out additional information and examples.
4/8/2025 - Congresswoman Jill Tokuda (D-HI) and Congressman William Timmons (R-SC) today inaugurated a bipartisan Congressional Coffee Caucus—an historic first. dedicated to celebrating and advancing America’s favorite beverage. Congressional Caucuses are formally established groups of Representatives who come together to pursue shared goals.
4/7/2025 - There continues to be rapid developments concerning U.S. tariffs and impacts to coffee imports, as well as ongoing confusion regarding how to apply a new, complex and ambiguous tariff regime. Now, country of origin determination is the dominant factor in determining the tariff rate placed on imported products (as well as country of origin labeling requirements).
4/2/2025 - President Donald Trump announced today (Wednesday) that he will impose a 10% tariff on all imports from all countries around the world (entering into effect at 12:01 am ET on April 5) and additional, individualized tariffs on many other countries his administration believes have the most unfair trade relationships with the United States (entering into effect at 12:01 am ET on April 9). He indicated he expects countries to want to negotiate and that the United States will remove tariffs if each country removes its own.
3/24/2025 - The United States Government has announced proposed fees on Chinese-built and flagged cargo ships. These fees, of up to $1,000,000 per vessel entrance to U.S. ports, are intended to address a finding of the U.S. Government that China’s targeting of the maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding sectors for dominance is unreasonable and burdens or restricts U.S. commerce.
3/19/2025 - While we have consistently argued that coffee should be exempt from any tariffs, the Trump administration has stated that there will be no exemptions. The countries and tariff rates to be set on April 2 are not yet known.
3/13/2025 - The White House has announced a temporary pause of the tariffs beginning on March 7, but only on goods that satisfy U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) rules of origin.
2/27/2025 - From all indications, including recent remarks and social media posts, President Trump appears intent on sticking to a March 4 implementation of 25% tariffs on all Canadian and Mexican imports to the United States.
2/25/2025 - Today’s update states that the effective date of the healthy rule will now be April 28, 2025, and explicitly noted, among other things, that the rule provides for coffee to be labeled as healthy, repeating the language in the original rule from last year.
2/18/2025 - While the administration’s strategy and tactics remain in flux and often lack specifics with regard to legal authority, timelines, and impacted products, the NCA has consistently articulated the clear U.S. economic and consumer benefits that depend directly on coffee imports, which have no domestic substitute and would be greatly harmed by tariffs on coffee.
2/2/2025 - We have been closely tracking the evolving situation regarding tariffs. Our immediate goals are to (a) provide information about the tariffs and coffee, and (b) educate lawmakers/regulators/the public about coffee and trade, and the potential impact of tariffs.
1/27/2025 - On Sunday morning, President Trump threatened to immediately impose 25% tariffson all imports from Colombia to the United States, including coffee as well as cut flowers, one of Colombia’s leading exports, mere weeks before Valentine’s Day. Before the end of the day, the crisis seemed to have been averted.
1/21/2025 - While President Trump signed a number of Executive Orders (EOs) and made a number of public statements on January 20 after his inauguration ceremony, details remain scarce, including whether, how, and when tariffs will be imposed, under what legal authorities, and on what countries and goods.
1/14/2025 - We are excited to announce the launch of a new B2C website, About Coffee (aboutcoffee.org), providing consumers with accurate, fact-based information about America's favorite brew. Anyone seeking coffee-related information can visit the website to learn about the origins and lifecycle of coffee, brewing methods and proper storage, coffee’s health benefits, and more.
12/19/2024 - The FDA, for the first time in history, announced that it is formally including coffee in its definition of “healthy.” At a time when consumers – especially younger consumers – are increasingly health-conscious, this designation has the potential to help drive consumption and put to rest previous misguided efforts to portray coffee as unhealthy.
12/18/2024 - The Biden administration released yesterday a “policy framework to combat demand-driven illegal deforestation,” which follows President Biden’s 2022 executive order directing the creation of a government-wide policy to combat illegal deforestation globally.
12/13/2024 - Late yesterday, after meeting with International Longshoreman’s Association (ILA) President Harold Daggett and Executive Vice President Dennis Daggett, President-elect Trump posted on Truth Social his support for the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) position on automation.
12/10/2024 - Although the strike of U.S. East Coast and Gulf port workers was called off on October 3, 2024, there remained unresolved issues between ILA and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX), primarily that of port automation.
12/2/2024 - There’s a recent development regarding the FDA, mycotoxins and the testing of coffee imports. This Member Alert explores this development, and shares related tools NCA has available to support your coffee business.
11/13/2024 - As a reminder, the brief strike which paralyzed U.S. Gulf and East Coast ports earlier this year ended when there was a partial agreement on some of the issues under discussion. While the strike itself ended, negotiations were to resume on open issues, including automation.
11/12/2024 - The results of the U.S. election, returning President Trump to office for a second term and securing Republican control of both the House and Senate, are likely to cause substantial uncertainty for a wide range of issues that may directly or indirectly impact the U.S. coffee sector and global supply chains.
09/26/2024 - An update on the NCA’s engagement supporting resolution of the ongoing labor dispute that threatens to disrupt operations at U.S. East Coast and Gulf ports.
09/18/2024 - Talks between the unionized Gulf and East Coast dockworkers, represented by the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA), and employers, represented by the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX), broke down in June. The NCA has joined with over 175 other trade associations in signing a letter sent to President Biden yesterday, encouraging “his administration to immediately work with both parties to resume contract negotiations and ensure there is no disruption to port operations and cargo fluidity if a new contract is not reached by the expiration date."
09/10/2024 - Against the complicated landscape of food product labeling, recently passed laws in Hawaii create further legal requirements for any coffee company selling coffee labeled as Hawaiian, especially blends of Hawaiian and other coffees. Whether or not that coffee is sold in Hawaii, companies not in compliance could face legal risks. The latest addition to NCA’s labeling-related member resources focuses on the Hawaiian regulations and the considerations for any coffee company that is selling and intends to sell Hawaiian coffee.
08/28/2024 - The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) enacted the Strengthening Organic Enforcement (SOE) Final Rule to protect this growing sector, and if you are selling or handling organic coffee, you need to be compliant with the Rule. We’re making it easier. We’ve condensed the sprawling, 80-page SOE Rule into an easy-to-understand, coffee-specific guide to help you mitigate your supply chain risk and disruptions.
08/22/2024 -The EU Deforestation Regulation (“EUDR”) enters into force at the end of 2024 and aims to “guarantee that the products EU citizens consume do not contribute to deforestation or forest degradation worldwide.” With that in mind, we provide the following update on the EUDR and its implications for the U.S. coffee market.
08/21/2024 - As the governing body of the association, the NCA Board of Directors is responsible for setting strategic direction, as well as policies, fiscal and otherwise, to ensure the Association’s continued success, despite what challenges may come. If your background and experience have prepared you for a role on the NCA Board, now is the time to apply.
08/08/2024 - Earlier this year the FDA published a wide range of proposed updates, including some for coffee. NCA has filed two extensive, science-backed responses to proposed revisions to the FDA’s Draft Guidance for Industry: Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls (HARPC) for Human Food.
05/28/2024 - Businesses in the coffee industry are frequent targets of class action lawsuits focusing on improper or misleading labeling.To meet the urgent need for up-to-date guidance in this area, NCA benefits now include the article “Staying Out of Hot Water: The Latest Trends in Product Labeling Class Actions and How to Manage the Risk.”
03/12/2024 - NCA is responding to two recent attacks by activist groups. In both cases, the goal of these attacks is to ban decaffeinated coffee processed with methylene chloride, which accounts for the majority of the decaf market – a process referred to over the years as “the European-Method” of decaffeination.
12/12/2023 - To meet the urgent need for guidance through the complicated topic of FSVP compliance, the National Coffee Association has produced an all-new NCA Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP) ToolkitProgram (FSVP) Toolkit, addressing rules, requirements, and regulations pertaining to green coffee.
11/16/2023 - If your company handles or intends to handle organic coffee, it is important that you are aware of some critical changes to the USDA’s organic rules and compliance requirements. NCA is developing resources for the exclusive use of NCA members to specifically support compliance by coffee companies with the new organic rules.
11/07/2023 - We are pleased to announce the newest addition to the 2023 NCDT Market Research Series - the Instant, Flavors, and Additives Consumer Insight Report. This report, prepared by our research partners at DIG Insights, is available exclusively to NCA Members who subscribe to the NCDT Market Research Series.
11/02/2023 - Thanks to Scientific Affairs Contributions by NCA members, the NCA’s Science Leadership Council was able to commission a comprehensive microbial challenge study to answer an important question about cold brew safety: whether pathogen growth or toxin formation could occur in cold brew coffee prepared, held, or dispensed in a retail or food service setting.
The resulting white paper concludes that black cold brew does not support toxin formation or growth of the common pathogens tested for in the study.
10/24/2023 - For the first time since 2015, the National Coffee Association has commissioned original research from the experts at Technomic to measure the many ways coffee contributes to the U.S. economy.
U.S. Coffee Impact Report
10/11/2023 - Today we announce the addition of a new member benefit: a database of Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for high-priority crop protectants that may be associated with coffee.
To further serve our members directly involved in the coffee supply chain, NCA has developed the MRL Database with the support of industry experts specializing in crop protectant regulation across multiple countries and supply chain sectors.
9/19/2023 - We are pleased to announce that the latest edition of our NCDT Market Research Series is available now, with over a hundred pages worth of actionable data for your coffee business. NCDT data is used by the media, investors, government, NGOs, analysts, and coffee companies everywhere as an objective baseline for the industry and to assist in their planning. In recent years, we’ve made this data more user-friendly than ever before.
9/13/2023 - Yesterday, NCA President and CEO William “Bill” Murray testified before the U.S. Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) to emphasize the health benefits associated with drinking coffee. This is only the most recent step in a multifaceted effort by NCA to achieve a greater and more formal recognition of coffee’s health benefits. This message is vitally important as consumers increasingly factor health considerations into their decisions.
8/16/2023 - Today we announce the addition of a new member benefit: Safety Data Sheets for your coffee operation. If you handle, store, process, or transport green or roasted coffee, you must have the proper Safety Data Sheet(s) on file. We’ve created an NCA resource to make it easier to comply with this obligation.
8/10/2023 - If you are seeking a leadership position with the #1 trade group representing the U.S. coffee industry, this is your opportunity! There will be two open seats on the NCA Board of Directors beginning in March 2024, each for a two-year term of service.
5/9/2023 - Today we are proud to announce the 2023 National Coffee Data Trends Specialty Coffee Consumer Insight Report. Produced in collaboration with the Specialty Coffee Association, the 2023 Specialty Coffee Consumer Insight Report explores the consumer behavior and trends at the heart of the specialty coffee category.
4/18/2023 - The National Coffee Association is conducting a study to measure the total economic impact of coffee in the United States, a crucial tool for our advocacy work in Washington. The purpose of this Member Alert is to provide you with background on this project and to request your coffee business’s assistance in completing a survey to provide data that will be crucial to the success of the project.
4/4/2023 - Today we are pleased to announce the arrival of the Spring 2023 National Coffee Data Trends report. There is a lot to unpack in the over 100-page report, but one key finding is that while the pandemic did not change how much coffee Americans drink, it has had lingering effects on where they drink it. 35% had coffee away from home in January 2023 – up from a low of 31% in January 2021, but down from 41% in January 2020, just before the pandemic hit in full force.
3/2/2023 - For many years, the coffee industry has been fighting misguided efforts in the State of California to have coffee labeled as potentially cancer-causing, under provision of California’s infamous “Prop 65.” While NCA led efforts in Europe -- with the UN’s World Health Organization, and in Sacramento, appearing before regulators to argue that coffee should receive a specific exemption from Prop 65 -- numerous coffee companies fought a protracted legal battle. On February 15th, 2023, the California Supreme Court issued a decision that brings to a definitive close this longstanding legal battle.
2/23/2023 - The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently revised the National Organic Program (NOP) standards to protect the integrity of the organic sector and reduce fraud. They issued the Strengthening Organic Enforcement (SOE) rule in response to these challenges. Changes to the rule are significant and the mandatory compliance date is by March 19th, 2024.
2/15/2023 - Labeling regulations for food, including coffee, are rapidly evolving – and NCA is staying on top of the changes so you can remain compliant and avoid a package redesign, costly recall, or worse -- litigation. We recently made updates to our definition and guidance for Single Origin, which many coffee companies use on their product packaging.
2/13/2023 - NCA is again supporting a legislative proposal that could enhance U.S. government federal funding for research into combatting coffee pests and diseases in Hawaii. Should funding be approved, the resulting research would benefit coffee farmers everywhere who are combatting the same pests and diseases.
2/9/2023 - There are ongoing legislative and compliance developments relating to state legislation (recent and proposed) concerning PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) and food packaging materials that may have the potential to impact your business.
2/8/2023 - We are excited to announce the arrival of our Cold Brew & RTD Data Trends Report, an all-new National Coffee Data Trends breakout report available free for 2023 NCA members. In this report, our market research partners at Dig Insights have taken a fresh look at the rapidly growing cold brew and ready-to-drink segments of the coffee industry.
1/25/2023 - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is currently seeking public comments as it reviews criteria for foods eligible to be labeled as “healthy,” and has specifically asked if coffee should formally qualify to use the “healthy” label. NCA is asking our members to submit letters of support for designating coffee as healthy.
1/5/2023 - A message from Bill Murray, NCA President & CEO. As the world of coffee grew even more complex last year, your support made it possible for us to continue serving you with the tools and resources you need. As we look ahead to the coming year, we'll provide a glimpse of some of what you can expect from us.