Advocacy

NCA Update: 2020 US Dietary Guidelines Scientific Review

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Setting the stage for the next evolution in dietary guidance to Americans for 2020-2025

Editor’s note: The connection between lifestyle and health is increasingly being recognized by the medical and scientific communities. We know that diet, exercise habits, and smoking and alcohol consumption impact our health. And as the science continues to advance, it seems there are new discoveries weekly.

To help Americans make healthy food and beverage choices, the U.S. Government issues Dietary Guidelines, which in the past have been communicated by USDA guides such as the Food Guide Pyramid and MyPlate.

When the USDA last undertook this exercise, the NCA formally recommended that the healthy aspects of coffee be recognized – and they were.  The 2015-2020 Guidelines acknowledge that coffee can be part of a healthy diet.

And the process to update these guidelines is now well underway.

By Dr. Mark Corey, Director of Scientific & Government Affairs, National Coffee Association

Over the past two days, I attended the meeting of the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) in Washington, DC, focused on creating the protocol and guidelines shaping US nutrition and guidance to Americans for the next 5 years.

Panels of experts are examining every aspect of the American diet, inside and out, and have outlined their process for evaluating the science-based evidence. Subcommittees are focused on a range of topics such as dietary patterns and looking across different age groups from birth to older adults.

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Support coffee farmers – pour another cup!

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Harvesting coffee cherries in Nicaragua. Source

The science behind increasing global demand

By Bill (William) Murray, President & CEO, National Coffee Association

I’ve been thinking about the good news, challenges, and opportunities that face all of us in the coffee community – just as I travel to Brazil for the upcoming World Coffee Producers Forum. 

The good news should be well known to all:  last month California finally gave coffee the all clear, joining scientists worldwide in concluding that coffee does not cause cancer and may in fact protect against cancer and other diseases.

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How Can the NCA Serve Your Coffee Business?

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By Theresa (Terri) Bartlett, NCA Director of Membership

We’re introducing an easier way to pay for small businesses, coffee shops, and independent roasters — and brewing some big-picture benefits.

If you are a small coffee shop operator (ten units or less) or a micro-roastery (5,000 bags a year or fewer), then you are probably already burning the candle at both ends. 

You’re primarily focused on the “basics” – day-to-day challenges like keeping the doors open and the lights burning – even as you are looking down the road at growth opportunities.

The bottom line? Above all, resources are tight.

This is why we’re rolling out an easier way to access National Coffee Association resources – to better serve you. (We’re also offering a special prorated offer on 2019 dues, so you can pick the plan that’s right for you.)

Because while you’re minding the store, we’re minding the big picture:

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Forcing Unfounded Cancer Warnings On Coffee Labels Is Unconstitutional, Says Legal Expert

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Compelled speech, like censored speech, can violate the Constitution, according to legal experts.

By William “Bill” Murray, CAE, NCA President & CEO via LinkedIn

“Forcing [coffee companies] to include a cancer warning on a product that does not cause cancer plainly violates the 1st Amendment.”

So states legendary First Amendment lawyer Floyd Abrams (Pentagon Papers, Citizen United), in today’s Los Angeles Times Op-Ed.

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A “Common Sense” Victory For Coffee Science in California

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“Call it a victory for science — or maybe just for common sense.” – The Seattle Times

It was a good news week for  coffee science in California.

Earlier this month, OEHHA (the state’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment agency) proposed a plan that would exempt coffee from Prop 65 required “cancer warning labels” in California after the most recent ruling in the ongoing legislation.

The statement was met with resounding support from scientists and coffee lovers alike.

“OEHHA’s Rulemaking is supported by both the full weight of scientific evidence and law,” wrote William “Bill” Murray, NCA President and CEO, in comments filed Aug. 30. The letter commended the decision and laid out the strong case for coffee in a scientific summary signed by Dr. Mark Corey, NCA’s Director of Scientific & Government Affairs, and Dr. Alan Leviton, Consultant to the NCA Scientific Advisory Group.

Simply put, the research speaks for itself: coffee does not cause cancer.

Then this week, in a groundbreaking announcement, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration sent a letter to Sacramento which emphatically set forth their support for this rule.

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Coffee, Acrylamide, and Your Health

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A guide to California’s Prop. 65 and ongoing labeling legislation for the informed coffee drinker.

Overwhelming research shows that regular coffee consumption may be linked to a host of potential health benefits, from liver health to longevity. 

Scientists believe that the secret lies in coffee’s complex chemistry: There are at least 300 natural compounds in one green bean, and about 1,000 more created in the roasting process – including  caffeine (of course), antioxidants, and minerals.

Together, the various things that make up coffee create a delicious brew that can be part of a healthy lifestyle. 

However, a long-running lawsuit under California’s controversial Prop 65 regulation has sought  to force coffee companies to include “cancer warning labels” on coffee package labels and in coffee shops.

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Warning: California’s Coffee “Cancer” Labels May Be Hazardous to Public Health

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Last week, a Los Angeles judge ruled that coffee roasters and retailers must serve up a cancer warning with coffee sold in California under Prop. 65 regulations, based on the naturally-occurring presence of acrylamide from the roasting process.

The decision goes against what the science shows us – including the conclusions of the World Health Organization. Study after study, conducted independently and published in peer-reviewed journals, has shown the potential health benefits of drinking coffee — from liver health to living longer.

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Border Adjustment Tax Dropped

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The following post is from the latest NCA Member Alert. 

On Thursday, Republican leaders announced that the controversial border adjustment provision, which threatened to saddle coffee imports with duties that could have added as much as 20% to declared values, has been dropped from the proposed tax plan.

“While we have debated the pro-growth benefits of border adjustability, we appreciate that there are many unknowns associated with it and have decided to set this policy aside in order to advance tax reform,” House, Senate and White House leaders working on a tax plan said in a joint statement Thursday, CNBC News reports.

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