Certain Dietary Supplement Ingredients Exempt in Latest Tariff Announcement

Washington, DC—On April 2, dubbed "Liberation Day," The White House announced that President Donald J. Trump "declared that foreign trade and economic practices have created a national emergency, and his order imposes responsive tariffs to strengthen the international economic position of the United States and protect American workers." The executive order involves reciprocal tariffs on goods from around the world, plus a 10% baseline tariff on U.S. imports from virtually all countries, and the levels are higher for some countries. President Trump's plans include imposing 34% tariffs on China, 26% on India, 20% on the European Union, and more.

The 10% tariff on all countries will take effect April 5, 2025 at 12:01 a.m. EDT, while the individualized reciprocal higher tariff on the countries with which the U.S. has the largest trade deficits will take effect April 9, 2025 at 12:01 a.m. EDT. The Trump Administration said the tariffs "will remain in effect until such a time as President Trump determines that the threat posed by the trade deficit and underlying nonreciprocal treatment is satisfied, resolved, or mitigated."

Certain vitamins and other supplement ingredients exempt

The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA), which "generally opposes the imposition of broad nation-scale tariffs," shared the news that certain vitamins and other supplement ingredients are exempt from the new tariffs. As AHPA reported: "Per the [executive] order, goods categorized under Harmonized Tariff Schedule codes in the accompanying Annex II to the order 'shall not be subject to the ad valorem rates of duty' that would otherwise apply. Tariff codes included in the annex include entries with descriptions for choline, folic acid and its derivatives, niacin, and a number of specific and general vitamin entries."

Vitamins, A, B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B5, B6, B12,C, E, coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), and several minerals are also included in Annex II.

The Natural Products Association (NPA) also shared news of the exemptions, which the association said followed productive discussions with key officials in the weeks leading up to the April 2nd announcement. NPA noted: "While not all ingredients were exempted, NPA is confident in the Trump administration’s continued support and looks forward to working together to achieve the best possible outcomes for the millions of Americans who rely on supplements daily for their health and wellness." NPA added that the administration’s "commitment to ensuring a stable, cost-effective supply of these materials aligns perfectly with the mission of Making America Healthy Again."

Daniel Fabricant Ph.D., President and CEO of NPA, said: “We are truly thankful for President Trump’s thoughtful and industry-focused approach throughout the tariff process. His administration’s willingness to listen and act on our concerns is a testament to their dedication to both public health and economic stability. We are excited to continue collaborating with this administration to prevent any supply chain disruptions and to explore innovative solutions, like reshoring, that will strengthen our industry and create American jobs—priorities that reflect the President’s vision for our great nation.”

The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), shared a statement advocating for policies that support a resilient global supply chain: "The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) and its members embrace a pro-growth agenda that promotes free trade and global access to markets for dietary supplements and functional food that give consumers more options to pursue better health. Reasonable science-backed regulation, a focus on expanded consumer access, and the removal of trade barriers across the globe will help consumers achieve healthier lives. Unfortunately, tariffs and other trade barriers, whether imposed by other countries on U.S.-made products, or by the United States, have the potential to disrupt global markets, raise prices for consumers, and reduce opportunities to make and keep people healthy. In the dietary supplement and functional food sector, it is unavoidable that many ingredients are imported from our international partners. CRN is monitoring the evolving situation and assessing potential real-world impacts for our members and the broader industry. We remain committed to advocating for policies that support a resilient, transparent, and global supply chain for health and wellness products."

Resources for tariff updates

NPA also shared the exempt codes, and has established a Tariff page on its website with the latest developments to help keep industry members informed. On that page, NPA stressed the importance of proactive measures from the NPA and its members in the supplement and natural products industry. To navigate the challenges posed by fluctuating tariffs, NPA recommends that industry members:

Stay informed by regularly monitoring official communications from relevant government agencies, such as the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) and the Department of Commerce (DOC), to stay updated on policy changes that may impact your supply chains and operations.
Engage in advocacy by collaborating with industry associations and participating in advocacy efforts to communicate the industry’s concerns and perspectives to policymakers. NPA notes that engaging in dialogue can help shape trade policies that consider the unique needs of the supplement sector. One such opportunity is coming up in May: NPA Sets Date for Fly-in Day 2025.
Seek guidance from trade compliance professionals to navigate the complexities of tariff regulations and to develop strategies that minimize financial and operational impacts.

AHPA encouraged companies with goods in transit to monitor The White House website, Federal Register and other sources for breaking changes and updates.

This is an evolving story, with news coming from around the word, including the latest from China, which announced that it will impose a 34% tariff on all U.S. imports from April 10. Additional insights and developments will be shared in the days and weeks ahead.