By Joe DeRupo, NCA Director of External Relations & Communications
2016 was a year of uncertainty for the coffee industry, including new threats to basic business norms and protocols.
Here’s an overview of the key issues we faced over the past 12 months, some of the new benefits we’ve made available to members, and what you can expect in the year ahead.
By Joseph DeRupo, Director of External Relations, NCA
The following is an excerpt from a recent NCA Member Alert. (Want to receive the latest industry updates directly? Learn more about NCA membership.)
After a deeply divisive campaign, a new administration is poised to assume power in Washington, having been elected on a platform which has expressed skepticism toward big government and regulatory intervention.
The transfer of power has only just begun, cabinet and agency appointments are a still in progress, and budget negotiations are far off – including the implications of funding cutbacks or additions.
In the meantime, we’re preparing for the changes that may be ahead. Earlier this year, the NCA released the first-ever Economic Impact Study to measure the U.S. coffee economy, and the NCA’s 2017 plan already includes outreach in Washington to raise awareness of the industry’s importance. That outreach will now take on even greater significance as the coming months unfold.
The NCA will not speculate as to what these changes in Washington may mean for coffee. But it’s never too soon to begin planning, and here are some key issues on the industry’s docket:
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