Twenty years after the passage of the seminal Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA), the natural products industry once again faces a number of major regulatory challenges: Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), Adverse Event Reports (AERs), Investigational New Drugs (INDs), New Dietary Ingredients (NDIs), Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) and supply chain integrity, to name just a few.

Yet the industry will, sooner rather than later, lose the two Congressional champions who have paved the way for a successful, well-regulated environment: Senator Tom Harkin is retiring at the end of this year, and Senator Orrin Hatch is in his final term. One might think of them as the proverbial congressional odd couple, a conservative Republican and a liberal Democrat, but they both are strong believers in the products we sell and the companies that sell them. And it was that dynamic that has allowed Sens. Hatch and Harkin to provide such a high level of bipartisan leadership around industry issues, including repeatedly supporting industry when it has faced restrictive and unnecessary legislative challenges.

The Search for Strong Advocates in Congress
We’ll never be able to replace them, but we can begin building new support on Capitol Hill and finding, if not champions, then at least strong advocates. It will take a lot of work and commitment from industry to cultivate this new leadership at anywhere close to the level we have enjoyed for the past 20 years.

Additionally, we are no longer just a small, mom-and-pop-based cottage industry. We are robust, dynamic and a significant employer—an accepted component of American commerce. Natural and organic foods, personal care products and dietary supplements today are an important and ingrained part of the American culture and lifestyle and an economic powerhouse.

We believe that the individual parts of the industry are best served by supporting each other in common causes. This will also best serve our consumers, who share industry’s core values around health, wellness and sustainability, and who are educated, passionate and engaged.

For the first time in many years, the issues impacting both the food and supplement sides of the business are merging, such as GMO labeling, the definition of “natural,” and FSMA implementation. Our collective image and reputation and how we are seen and understood in the media is a common issue. The national debate around affordable healthcare feeds into a natural component of our industry: personalized medicine.

Irrespective of how you feel about the Affordable Healthcare Act, the United Natural Products Alliance (UNPA) believes industry has an important contribution to make in this area; we just haven’t done a good job communicating our value proposition to Congress or the American people.

But how best to capitalize on industry’s economic prowess and reach while rebuilding our base of support in the halls of Congress?

Economic Impact Key to Industry Message
UNPA believes the economic strength of the industry and the political message we have to convey can best be accommodated at the local and state level, with a focus on states that have become the industry’s economic engines.

To that end, the association is building out a number of state chapters to complement its national membership base. With UNPA’s guidance and the commitment of each of the state chapter members, our goal is to create a new, long-term level of engagement with elected representatives at local, state and national levels through the communication of a viable economic impact message to those legislators. This, in turn, will cultivate new congressional champions to pick up the industry banner from Sens. Hatch and Harkin and allow the industry to remain an important player in the all-important political arena.

The first tier of UNPA state chapters in formation is in Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Utah, Vermont and Wisconsin. These states were chosen for two very specific reasons: each one has a vibrant and significant natural products presence in relationship to the state’s overall economic output, and each one has at least one congressional delegate that is in a position to serve as an advocate for and supporter of the industry.

For example, Utah is a state where the natural products industry is a widely accepted one that employs a large number of people and generates in the area of $7 billion in annual revenues. It is organized and competent. The companies know their congressional delegation and have developed contacts in and productive relationships with the governor’s office, the economic development office and the international trade authorities.

Other states have equally interesting economic stories. Colorado is a hub of the natural foods industry and home to companies such as Celestial Seasonings, WhiteWave, Boulder Brands and Vitamin Cottage. It’s also a commercial hub through New Hope Natural Media, with its trade shows and publications. Additionally, the Boulder area, which many consider to be the epicenter of the natural products industry in the U.S., has a well-organized, community-based association, Naturally Boulder, that is a forum for industry to learn, gather, network and grow.

Each of the states on our list has a compelling, unique story to tell its legislators but with some common themes to resonate across the industry. As we highlight the successes and opportunities in each state, a unique value picture emerges showing an industry with a great history and a vibrant future.

UNPA, which started out as a state-based organization in Utah in 1992 to ensure the passage of DSHEA, provides a proven structure to translate the industry’s economic profile and financial successes into company directories, rosters and economic reports.

State Chapters to Embrace Broad Spectrum of Companies
The state chapters will consist of members representing all categories of the industry, including supplements, natural and organic foods, organic personal care, natural household products, natural pet products, publications, health professionals, educational organizations, agriculture and distribution. This will help industry segments build with a broader industry affinity.

Additionally, we have broad experience in helping companies create meaningful, lasting relationships with their legislators and can provide the tools needed to help them get and stay on their representatives’ radar—in a positive, mutually beneficial manner. We’ll be able to organize the state chapter members, brief them on important issues, help them understand how the system works, educate them and help them feel comfortable contacting their congressional members effectively.

If we are successful, we will be able to deliver a clear, respectful message from known constituents about known issues to congressional members and their staffs to create a coherent industry voice in Washington and elsewhere. We want to develop long-term, trusted relationships that set the stage for strong political leadership. The economic impact reports that we’re developing will provide a snapshot that quantifies economic importance as well as strong consumer interest and demand.

Another important objective with the state chapters is the creation of a larger sense of community within each state—a series of natural products rotary clubs, if you will. Members will be able to get together, know each other and cultivate new relationships and business opportunities.

In the end, we believe that you lead from a position of economic significance so that no matter who is elected, our message remains the same. This will lead to another cycle of growth for industry and a better chance to help our consumers live healthy, happy lives.