NCA applauds proposed Special 301 tariff exclusions, urges addition of unflavored instant

July 8, 2026 | NEW YORK – Testifying in Washington on July 6 and 8 with regard to tariffs that may be imposed on Brazil over concerns about trade policies and practices and on countries failing to prohibit the import of goods made with forced labor, National Coffee Association (NCA) President and CEO William “Bill” Murray applauded the administration’s proposal to exclude most coffee from tariffs, urged those proposed exclusion be maintained, and asked that unflavored instant coffee be added to the exclusions.

Murray’s testimony supported NCA’s written comments emphasizing the United States’ reliance on coffee imports, since coffee is not available from domestic sources and drives more than $343 billion in U.S. economic value alongside supporting 2.2 million U.S. jobs and accounting for 8% of the value of the U.S. food service sector.

Murray commented:

“It is critical for more than 176 million daily U.S. coffee drinkers and our $343 billion coffee economy that any tariffs resulting from the current Special 301 investigations exclude all coffee and coffee products, most of which NCA applauds the administration for having already included in proposed exclusions.

The proposed exclusions should be extended to include unflavored instant coffee consumed by nearly 30 million American adults each day and used as a critical ingredient in value-added manufacturing of coffee extracts, flavorings, cold brew, and ready-to-drink beverages.”

Two-thirds of American adults drink coffee each day, more than any other beverage including tap or bottled water. Nearly all coffee required to meet this demand must be imported from coffee growing countries, and instant coffee is most typically produced in countries where coffee is grown due to the inefficiencies that would be involved in shipping water weight in green coffee beans.

NCA’s written comments on the Brazil Special 301 investigation are available here; comments on the forced labor Special 301 investigation are here.

For media inquiries, contact media@ncausa.org.

About the National Coffee Association

The National Coffee Association (NCA), established in 1911, is the United States’ oldest and largest trade organization representing coffee businesses of all types and sizes, including the producers, roasters, brands, and other companies responsible for 90% of U.S. coffee commerce. More American adults drink coffee each day than any other beverage, and coffee supports 2.2 million U.S. jobs—operating in every U.S. state and territory and contributing nearly $350 billion to the U.S. economy every year. For more information, visit ncausa.org or contact coffee@ncausa.org.