In Remembrance of Michael McGuffin, Herbal Industry Pioneer
By Steven Hoffman
Michael McGuffin, a renowned founder of the modern-day herbal products industry and for more than 25 years the President of the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA), passed away on Feb. 17, 2025, at the age of 73.
Michael was well known as a tireless advocate for consumer access to botanical medicine, industry self-regulation, and the safety and efficacy of herbal products. Under his leadership, AHPA spearheaded the request for mandatory reporting of serious adverse events; ensured a place for dietary supplements under the scope of the National Organic Program; provided support to the emerging CBD industry; and served as a key industry resource for regulatory guidance, policies and trade requirements.
Michael McGuffin (left) with Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, Denver, 2019. Photo: Steven Hoffman
Born in 1951 in Louisville, Kentucky, McGuffin was an early natural foods retailer – in 1974 he opened a store selling fresh fruit, vegetables and bulk herbs in Venice, California, and in 1978 he co-founded McZand Herbal Products (now known as Zand). After serving on the board of AHPA for nearly a decade, Michael took on the role of President in 1999. He retired from his leadership role at AHPA in November 2024. Michael also served on the boards of the American Herbal Pharmacopoeia and United Plant Savers, and as a member of the Advisory Board of the University of Southern California School of Pharmacy Regulatory Science Master's Degree Program. McGuffin was awarded the Cliff Adler “Heart in Business” award in 1994 and the Nutrition Business Journal Award for Efforts on Behalf of Industry in 2004 and 2012.
"All companies that sell herbs and botanical ingredients in the United States owe a debt of gratitude to Michael (and AHPA), and they should be supporting AHPA and Michael’s work and laudable legacy," Mark Blumenthal, Director of the American Botanical Council, wrote in a statement. "When the history of the herb industry in the United States is written — 50 or perhaps 100 years from now — Michael will be at the top of the list of people who have been instrumental in building the modern herb industry. The U.S. herb industry is flying its virtual green flag at half-staff in honor of Michael."
Steven Hoffman is Managing Director of Compass Natural, providing public relations, brand marketing, social media and strategic business development services to natural, organic, sustainable and hemp/CBD products businesses. Contact steve@compassnaturalmarketing.com.
ABC’s Mark Blumenthal Named 'Person of the Year' by Whole Foods Magazine
ABC founder called ‘pioneer who helped the natural products industry reach the next level’
AUSTIN, Texas (Nov. 29, 2023) — The nonprofit American Botanical Council (ABC) is pleased to announce that Mark Blumenthal, ABC’s founder and executive director, has been named “Person of the Year” by Whole Foods Magazine, a leading natural products industry trade publication. Whole Foods announced the cover story in its December issue, available here.
The article and sidebars chronicle many of Blumenthal’s extensive activities in the herb and natural products community over the last 50 years, most of it as the co-founder and editor-in-chief of ABC’s journal HerbalGram and as founder and executive director of the international nonprofit American Botanical Council.
The story also mentions his being a co-founder and president of the Herb Trade Association in the late 1970s and a founding board member of the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA). Over the years, Blumenthal’s many activities at ABC have focused on education, research, ethnobotany, phytomedicine, quality issues, conservation and sustainability, and other aspects of the mission, publications and programs of ABC.
Blumenthal's many diverse activities also include acting as the senior editor of four science-based reference books, including the award-winning “The Complete German Commission E Monographs—Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines” (1998), plus “Herbal Medicine: Expanded Commission E Monographs” (2000), “The ABC Clinical Guide to Herbs” (2000) and “Rational Phytotherapy” (2004). Blumenthal serves and has served on numerous editorial boards of magazines and journals in the botanical and natural medicine arena as well as on the advisory boards of many nonprofit organizations and educational programs. Blumenthal and ABC were also instrumental in producing the first herbal medicine continuing education courses for pharmacists in the 1990s, including ground-breaking CE-accredited “Pharmacy from the Rainforest” ethnobotany ecotours to the Peruvian Amazon.
"Mark Blumenthal has raised the bar in the natural products industry, and he helped us to be better and do better in the process," wrote Heather Wainer, publisher and VP of media at Whole Foods Magazine.
“ABC also has been instrumental in helping to keep this industry ethical and transparent,” Wainer said. “Most recently, ABC has taken a lead role in the fight against adulteration of herbs. BAPP [the ABC-AHP-NCNPR Botanical Adulterants Prevention Program] has been in the forefront and is slowly but surely helping to gain transparency in herbs and cleaning up our herbal products.
“In recognition of Mark’s efforts to deliver education for four decades through HerbalGram, as well as for his work with BAPP and his fight for clean unadulterated herbs, Mark stands out as our 2023 Person of the Year.”
A sidebar contains various comments from natural product industry leaders: Loren Israelsen, president of United Natural Products Alliance; Greg Ris of Indena USA; Elan Sudberg, CEO of Alkemist Labs; Howard Wainer, president of WFC Inc.; Ann Armbrecht, Ph.D., director of the ABC Sustainable Herbs Program; and Len Monheit of Industry Transparency Center. Another sidebar has comments from three ABC employees (Hannah Baumann, associate editor of HerbalGram; Cecelia Thompson, finance director; and Gayle Engels, special projects director) regarding their views on working at ABC.
“I am deeply grateful that Whole Foods Magazine has chosen to honor the unique and extensive nonprofit research and educational work of the American Botanical Council with this recognition,” said Blumenthal. “I also thank the amazingly dedicated, productive and dedicated staff of ABC who help ensure that ABC makes such positive contributions to the herbal community in the United States and internationally. And, I have profound gratitude to the loyal members, donors and supporters of ABC who make possible the nonprofit organization’s unique educational mission, publications and programs.”
Blumenthal acknowledged his gratitude for his long history with Whole Foods Magazine. “As Whole Foods publisher Heather Wainer notes in her column, I have known her since she started in the natural products industry in the 1990s, and I have known her father, Whole Foods President Howie Wainer, for about 45 years. My relationship with Whole Foods began shortly after he purchased the magazine in 1984, when he asked me to write a monthly article on herbs. In fact, as noted in a quote from Howie, he got me started as a writer early in my career in the herb and natural products community when he invited me to write a column for the former industry trade magazine for which he was previously working, Health Food Business, starting around 1978. I am grateful to Howie for starting me on the path of writing (and editing) — two things I continue to do in service to the natural products community.”
The timing of the release of the Whole Foods Magazine tribute to Blumenthal occurs when ABC has just completed its 35th anniversary as a leading nonprofit research and education organization and the 40th anniversary of ABC’s flagship publication, HerbalGram. ABC has set up a special page on its information-rich website for the HerbalGram 40 Project & Fund, available here.
About Whole Foods Magazine
Whole Foods Magazine is a trade publication that focuses on the natural products and dietary supplement industry. It will reach its 40th anniversary under the ownership of the Wainer family in 2024. Its monthly print circulation is over 13,000. Whole Foods Magazine is not affiliated with the Austin, Texas-based Whole Foods Markets chain of natural groceries.
Media Contacts
Denise Meikel, American Botanical Council, denise@herbalgram.com, 512.926.4900 x120
Steven Hoffman, Compass Natural, steve@compassnatural.com, 303.807.1042
Presence Marketing’s Tracy Miedema Featured at AHPA Hemp-CBD Congress
Photo: AHPA
Originally Appeared in Presence Marketing News, September 2019
By Steven Hoffman
Comparing CBD to other herb-derived products like echinacea, American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) Chief Executive Michael McGuffin said, “Hemp is just another herb that should be regulated the same as any other dietary supplement.” Speaking at the sold-out AHPA Hemp-CBD Congress held in Denver on August 15-16, McGuffin said CBD producers should be expected to comply with “all federal regulations” including using registered food and processing facilities. Tracy Miedema, VP of Innovation and Brand Development for Presence Marketing / Dynamic Presence, also spoke at the conference, which was sponsored in part by Presence Marketing. Miedema, a “true believer” who was married in the 1990s in a hemp wedding dress, said CBD is a huge phenomenon worldwide, expected to generate between $15 billion and $20 billion in sales in the next few years. Miedema, who is a board member of the Lexington, KY-based U.S. Hemp Roundtable, was quoted in UPI News saying, “When the 2018 Farm Bill passed, taking CBD off the Schedule 1 [drug list], that unlocked the potential in funding.” Commenting on the uncertain regulatory environment, Miedema added, “This is a political problem, not a legal problem. Neither supply nor demand can be stopped at this point.” Colorado Governor Jared Polis, a champion of hemp, opened the Hemp-CBD Congress, declaring hemp “a crop of the past and yes, a crop of the future.”
Hemp Happenings This Summer
Originally Appeared in Presence Marketing News, August 2019
By Steven Hoffman
Compass Natural is pleased to organize the following hemp leadership events.
Colorado Governor Jared Polis to Give Keynote Speech at AHPA Hemp-CBD Supplement Congress, August 16, Denver
Colorado Governor Jared Polis will present the keynote speech during the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) Hemp-CBD Congress on Friday, August 16, 2019, in Denver. The address by Gov. Polis helps set the national stage for the vitality of the hemp industry and the positive economic impact the commodity will have for farmers and for dietary supplement companies nationwide, says AHPA. Currently, the industry is navigating a rapidly evolving legal, regulatory and financial landscape on how to manufacture and market dietary supplement products with hemp or hemp-derived ingredients including cannabidiol (CBD).
“We’re proud that Governor Polis will present AHPA’s keynote presentation. His participation is integral to the future of hemp and we look forward to continuing to be a voice of the herbal products industry and share his groundbreaking message to our 500+ leading members,” said Michael McGuffin, President of AHPA. “This collaboration with Governor Polis solidifies his plans to make good on the promise he made in January to position and help shape the future of industrial hemp.” The two-day congress includes speakers from USDA and FDA, plus legal and regulatory experts, farmers and producers, manufacturers, retailers and hemp and dietary supplement association leaders. Presence Marketing’s VP of Innovation and Brand Development, Tracy Miedema, will speak at the event, and Presence Marketing / Dynamic Presence will also be a featured Sponsor Partner of the AHPA Hemp-CBD Summit. Visit http://www.ahpa.org.
Photo: Office of Colorado Governor Jared Polis
Second Annual Southern Hemp Expo Returns to Tennessee, Unites Rapidly Growing Hemp Industry
More than 5,000 farmers, entrepreneurs, investors, manufacturers, retailers, and consumers will gather at this year’s 2nd Annual Southern Hemp Expo, a program-rich conference, exhibition and trade show structured specifically for the rapidly growing industrial, nutritional, and therapeutic hemp industries, held at Williamson County AG Expo Park in Franklin, TN, Sept. 6-7, 2019.
Participants at the 2019 Southern Hemp Expo will learn about the exploding hemp market, which is expected to surge to more than $26 billion in sales by 2025. This year’s Southern Hemp Expo will include a business and investment conference; hemp farm symposium; industry day with a business-to-business expo hall; general public day with an expo hall for consumers; workshops and demonstrations; and networking and entertainment. Attendees will receive up-to-date information about federal and state legislation and regulations, current trends in CBD and hemp supplements; the latest developments in processing, technology and innovation; certification, compliance and lab testing; and breeding, genetics, seeds and clones, and more. Exhibit space and sponsorship opportunities for the Southern Hemp Expo are available online at www.southernhempexpo.com. Southern Hemp Expo is produced by the Colorado Hemp Company—which has been producing the NoCo Hemp Expo, the world’s largest hemp industry gathering, in Colorado since 2014.