Coffee group offers consolidated C-TPAT information

Coffee group offers consolidated C-TPAT information The National Coffee Association of USA is starting a pilot program to help members and their foreign suppliers pool their resources to meet the security requirements of the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism.
   The New York-based trade association announced this week that it has set up a secure Internet portal that would serve as a registry of foreign suppliers and their security practices that members can leverage to reduce redundancy in establishing corporate controls on international shipments.
   Importers participating in the pilot program are Starbucks Coffee, American Coffee Corp., Atlantic (USA), Rothfos Corp., and Volcafe USA. The trade group will test the ability of companies to upload their C-TPAT-related security practices so they can be shared with other industry members. By providing access to security profiles and other information of foreign suppliers required for application to C-TPAT, the coffee makers hope to make it easier for other companies to join the voluntary partnership program and reduce the cost and effort of each company individually surveying common suppliers about their security practices.
   The National Coffee Association has contracted with Intertek, an international trade auditing and quality assurance firm, to run the portal, which will also serve as a repository of online educational resources.
   C-TPAT has 7,200 certified member companies who have promised to meet minimum security criteria and take other measures to secure their supply chains to the foreign point of origin in exchange for fewer inspections and delays at U.S. ports of entry.
   The National Coffee Association’s membership includes importers, exporters, roasters, retailers, and wholesalers, many of whom are small and medium-sized companies.