TEA AND COFFEE

70 Tea & Coffee Trade Journal | www.teaandcoffee.net P rice swings, climate change, and evolving consumer pref- erences have created challenges for the coffee industry over the past year. As if these things weren't enough, the National Coffee Association's (NCA) regulatory and scientific agenda has grown even larger, reflecting the complexities of today's business environment. The year 2015 saw revisions to the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans—the basic advice issued by the government about diet and health. The government-appointed advisory committee of scientists concluded that "three to five cups of coffee can be incorporated into a healthy lifestyle," a conclusion that we felt needed to be reflected in the final guidelines. The NCA pur- sued a number of avenues toward that goal, including formal letters to officials on behalf of the industry and meetings in Washington D.C. with the executive director of the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, the division of the Department of Agriculture responsible for the guidelines. The final Dietary Guidelines did note that drinking three to five cups a day is compatible with a healthy diet, and media coverage generally reported favorably on the outcome. In these and other advocacy situations, the "clout" an indus- try carries varies with the size and impact it has on the U.S. economy. Yet, published information on the size of the coffee sector has varied widely over the years and seldom includes the number of jobs that depend upon the sector. That's why the NCA has commissioned the first Economic Impact Study on the U.S. coffee industry. We're working together with the SCAA on this important project, which will underpin our efforts in Washington for years to come. Another challenge plaguing the industry for nearly five years has been the rollout of regulations to implement the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), the biggest change in the U.S. food safety system since the 1930s. With most regulations now in place, the NCA has taken another step—supporting the work of our sister organization, the Green Coffee Association, which has set up a formal FSMA Task Force to help smooth implementa- tion of this important legislation. We have supported the work of our members is by producing the nation's definitive study on coffee consumption trends, the National Coffee Drinking Trends. Last year, for the first time, this report was supplemented with a new interactive, online platform that enables data customization by which subscribers can now query the database directly and slice the trending information by gender, age, geographic region, ethnicity and income level. What's Ahead? On the science front, the industry is facing one of its greatest challenges ever. In May, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) will be reviewing coffee. An arm of the World Health Organization, IARC has studied nearly 900 foods, chemicals, appliances and behaviors and found only one to be non-cancer causing. In the fall of 2015, IARC found an association between meat and cancer, and the subsequent, sen- sationalistic media coverage drove meat sales down around the world, from 5 to 20 percent depending upon the country. NCA members will be hearing more about the NCA's work on this review, and how they can help, in the months to come. There has been a steady stream of good news about coffee and health for years, and it would be most unfortunate–and damaging–if the widespread, overall, and consistently good news about coffee and health were to become lost in the discussion. At the same time, as the economy continues to improve, our members tell us that it can be a challenge to find executive talent. In response, later this year we will be launching–in part- nership with the SCAA–the first coffee-centric job board. Finally, we're looking ahead on the leadership front, too. Our chairman for the past two years has been Bruce Goldsmith of Baronet Coffee. Bruce's vision, deep foundations in the coffee business, and passion for the NCA have enabled us to evolve the association to face the future—even while we've dealt with today's challenges. We've even had some fun along the way, and we all owe him a debt of gratitude for his time and service. As we launch our 105 th annual convention, a new chairman takes the helm. As vice chair, John "JD" DeMuria has been an invaluable partner in the work of the association, just one of many roles he has played at the NCA throughout his career. As the industry's challenges expand, I look forward to partnering with JD to con- tinue the NCA's exciting journey on behalf of our industry. Bill Murray is president & CEO of the National Coffee Association, New York. He previously served as CEO of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). Prior to the PRSA, Murray was the co-COO of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). The Year in Advocacy Views expressed in Straight from the Cup (SFTC) are not necessarily those of Tea & Coffee Trade Journal or Lockwood Publications. If interested in authoring an SFTC column, please contact Vanessa L. Facenda for full details or questions concerning submissions: v.facenda@teaandcoffee.net. Articles must discuss or analyze a relevant issue, trend or event within the coffee or tea industry, not solely promote a company or its products. THE CUP Straight from

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