The Natural Products Association (NPA) will hold the 18th Annual Natural Products Day on Tuesday, March 24, 2015 in Washington, D.C.
 

 
The organization said Natural Products Day is the industry’s premier advocacy event in which NPA members and industry stakeholders are connected with their senators and representatives to discuss the importance of issues affecting natural products and the consumers who rely on them each day. This event is free for attendees, and NPA arranges all the meetings with key legislators ahead of time, while providing direction on how to make an impact on Capitol Hill.
 
The conference will kick off with a “Welcome to Washington” breakfast briefing on the current legislation affecting the natural products industry. NPA’s staff and outside lobbyists will also give attendees insight into how to best educate and interact with their senator or representative.
 
The afternoon session of Natural Products Day will put the morning’s education portion into action. Attendees will be connected with their members of Congress and staff through prearranged meetings so they can directly discuss the important issues at hand.
 
The evening will round out with a Congressional Awards Reception for lawmakers, legislative staff and Natural Products Day participants, where several members of Congress will receive recognition for their support of the natural products industry. The event is yet another opportunity to further solidify relationships with policy makers and congressional staff, the organization noted.
 
The Natural Products Association Political Action Committee (NPA PAC) will also host an evening reception for attendees the night before the conference to help support NPA’s advocacy efforts and grow the industry’s influence with key legislators. NPA PAC gives members a unified voice to effectively take part in congressional affairs, and support candidates and the industry’s Capitol Hill allies.
 
“While the natural products industry has seen many legislative and regulatory successes over the last few decades, there is plenty more work to be done, and we cannot sit by and wait to see what happens. Natural Products Day offers the biggest first step in affecting change, which is what our industry needs most right now. We won’t be victims of our own apathy. Natural Products Day is a key step with which we must speak up together to ensure our goals are met,” said NPA CEO Daniel Fabricant, PhD. “With a freshman class of senators and representatives entering Congress this January, the industry must come together to get in front of these new lawmakers and educate them about our industry’s most pressing issues. We have a very promising opportunity to cultivate new industry champions while also educating returning members of Congress and speaking directly with lawmakers who oversee our industry. There is no event outside of Natural Products Day that impacts your business in such a direct and meaningful way. Every year, industry stakeholders spend time and money attending tradeshows, and while building business relationships is important, it doesn’t have the same influence as meeting with those who control your right to do business: members of Congress. Isn’t it time to start dedicating your resources to an event that connects you with the lawmakers who directly impact your bottom line? If your livelihood depends on the success of this industry, then it’s clear where you should be on March 24.”
 

 
For more information about NPA and Natural Products Day 2015, please visit NPAinfo.org.