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  2025 AHPA Annual Report reflects a "Year of Transition & Impact"

  May 13, 2026 The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) has released its 2025 Annual Report, documenting a landmark year for the association and the botanical products industry. Titled "A Year of Transition & Impact," the report details AHPA's leadership through significant regulatory shifts and legislative challenges, including securing critical enforcement discretion on DSHEA disclaimers and defending dietary supplements at the state level. It also highlights the association's strategic efforts to secure relief for members navigating the complex international trade and tariff landscape. In his message to the membership, AHPA President & CEO Graham Rigby reflected on the industry's collective strength following a year of major milestones and the loss of late, longtime AHPA President Michael McGuffin. "Reflecting on the past year, I am moved by the incredible resilience and unity of our community," said Rigby. "Michael's legacy is the garden he spent decades planting and growing — a rich landscape of advocacy, science, and stewardship. Today, that garden is ours to tend. Every initiative we undertake, every resource we share, and every connection we forge is an act of cultivation". The 2025 Annual Report is now available for download on the AHPA website. Members are encouraged to review the publication for a look at the advocacy, education, and member service initiatives that defined the past year and have continued into 2026.

  • Wednesday, May 13, 2026
  • | Posted by AHPA
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  AHPA monitoring FSSAI advisory on ashwagandha leaves

  May 8, 2026 The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) is closely monitoring a recent advisory issued by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) regarding the use of ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) leaves. The advisory, released by the Indian regulatory body on April 16, clarifies its position on the restriction of ashwagandha leaves in crude, extract, or any other form within food products. Ashwagandha is one of the most prominent botanicals in the global marketplace, valued for its long history of use in Ayurvedic tradition. While the root is the most commonly utilized part of the plant in traditional applications, various modern formulations have incorporated leaf-derived extracts. “This has been a longstanding point of discussion within the botanical industry, and we are engaged with our Ayurvedic Products Committee to evaluate the technical nuances of the FSSAI's advisory,” said AHPA President & CEO Graham Rigby. “AHPA is working to determine how this clarification might impact the global supply chain. AHPA's focus remains on ensuring that any regulatory policies potentially impacting international supply chains are grounded in sound science and that U.S. consumers continue to have access to safe, high-quality dietary supplements that meet all domestic compliance standards.” AHPA will continue to track this issue and provide further updates to its members as more information becomes available through its ongoing dialogue with our network of experts and international partners.

  • Friday, May 8, 2026
  • | Posted by AHPA
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  AHPA ERB Foundation supports research to improve black cohosh germination and seedling vigor

  May 5, 2026 The American Herbal Products Association Foundation for Education and Research on Botanicals (AHPA ERB Foundation) is pleased to announce its support for Improving Germination and Seedling Vigor of Black Cohosh, a multi-year project aimed at supporting commercial-scale production of this native forest herb. Led by Jeanine Davis, Ph.D., and Margaret Bloomquist of North Carolina State University, the research will focus on establishing best practices for seed germination and seedling management. Black cohosh (Actaea racemosa) is a commercially important botanical primarily sourced from the wild. Growing market demand has led to increased pressure on natural populations, prompting herbal product manufacturers to seek consistent, cultivated, and often certified organic alternatives. However, the development of forest-farmed black cohosh has been hindered by a lack of high-quality, affordable nursery stock and unpredictable seed germination rates. Slated to run through 2029, this project seeks to solve these supply chain challenges by making production from seed more efficient and reliable. By reducing the industry's reliance on wild-harvested roots for propagation, the research team aims to decrease production costs, improve the uniformity of planting stock, and safeguard wild populations. The study will include identification and constituent testing, including DNA analysis at the seed and seedling stages, and phytochemical fingerprinting to ensure quality and authenticity. The results of this research will be disseminated to industry stakeholders to empower forest farmers and nurseries with the tools needed to scale sustainable cultivation. This work is essential for ensuring the long-term availability of black cohosh while maintaining the integrity of the herbal products market. This research was made possible by the early and generous support of Mountain Rose Herbs, Mueggenburg USA, and Vitality Works. Through their foundational contributions to this project and their ongoing backing of many other ERB initiatives, these industry leaders consistently demonstrate an exemplary commitment to botanical stewardship and the success of the herbal community.                    Support Black Cohosh Research The AHPA ERB Foundation invites those who deal in or have an interest in the sustainability of black cohosh to contribute to this important work with a tax-deductible donation today. Your contribution directly supports the research to help secure the future of this botanical.

  • Tuesday, May 5, 2026
  • | Posted by AHPA
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  AHPA calls for clear safety standards, path to innovation in FDA public meeting comments

  April 29, 2026 The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) has submitted comments to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that chart a course for emergent dietary ingredient technologies. These comments reflect the fundamental AHPA principles of consumer safety and a well-informed marketplace. AHPA's comments follow a March public meeting in which FDA explored ways to better address dietary ingredient forms and technologies not explicitly enumerated in the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA). In the public meeting, FDA officials showed openness to reconsidering the agency's historical interpretation of aspects of the “dietary ingredient” definition. Previously, FDA has interpreted a catchall clause of the definition, “a dietary substance for use by man to supplement the diet by increasing the total dietary intake,” to exclude any substance not already found in the conventional food supply. This approach has had the effect of stifling research and driving innovators to use Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) pathways and conventional food inclusions when bringing new ingredients such as probiotics and microbes to market. At the same meeting, the agency sought answers regarding the sort of safety data that could inform reviews of ingredients in these categories, alongside well-characterized substances produced via new technologies such as cell culture or precision fermentation. AHPA makes clear in its comments that, contrary to FDA's historical interpretation of DSHEA, a direct pathway to market must exist for innovative ingredients. At the same time, the comments emphasize that dietary supplement labeling must not mislead consumers regarding the origins of substances produced using innovative technologies. AHPA's comments also address elements of characterizing data that can inform the review of dietary ingredients produced using such technologies. “Consumers deserve access to safe and beneficial new ingredients, but they also have a right to know where their products come from,” said AHPA President & CEO Graham Rigby. “We continue to support a facts-forward approach that clarifies the dietary ingredient landscape for consumer and regulator alike.” FDA has included industry guidance on new dietary ingredient safety and identity information in its set of 2026 priority deliverables. AHPA and the broader dietary supplement community eagerly await this timely yet long-awaited publication.

  • Wednesday, April 29, 2026
  • | Posted by AHPA