The tea market in the United States (U.S.) is growing, with Americans consuming larger quantities of tea each year. In 2016, the U.S. imported nearly $760 million in tea (excluding herbal tea), making it the world’s third largest tea importer.1 According to the Tea Association of the USA, the sector projects compound annual growth rates of 3 to 5 percent over the coming years. This has been driven by an increase in volume, but especially...

Specialty foods are defined as foods or beverages of the highest grade, style, and/or quality in their respective categories. Their specialty nature comes from a combination of some or all of the following qualities: uniqueness, origin, processing method, design, limited supply, unusual application or use, extraordinary packaging, or channel of distribution/sale. Approximately 60% of the US population spends over $80 billion in Specialty...

Congress, the Administration, and other stakeholders continue to be involved in serious efforts to improve upon the African Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA), which was first signed into law a decade ago, on May 18, 2000. To meet its objective of enhancing U.S. market access for subSaharan African countries that are pursuing market reforms measures, the AGOA preferential trade legislation was designed to encourage and support countries in this...