Australian Coffee Traders Association Inc (ACTA).

Who is ACTA and what does ACTA do?

Examples of ACTA achievements and actions on behalf of members

November 2022 – DAFF – delays on coffee samples and full container loads.

Member concerns raised regarding requirement for phytosanitary certs on samples, and biosecurity delays with FCLs. DAFF met with representatives of ACTA on Nov 10th 22. Noted the challenge with staffing levels. Resulted in the inclusion of green coffee as the first chosen commodity within a new HCI or Highly Compliant Importers Scheme. This offered the expectation of improved clearance ratios on green coffee imports.

July 2022 – Victoria Environmental Protection Act

ACTA entered into direct discussions with EPA Victoria to better understand why the roasting of coffee (for roasters exceeding 200 tonnes/annum) had been qualified as a high-risk activity requiring an operating licence. The discussions provided clarity on the State Govt’s overriding concerns with air quality issues, and not with the risk of a gas leak at the roasting plant itself. The EPA advised their regulations were under regular review, leaving the door open should the coffee industry wish to make the case for a lower level of risk assigned against coffee roasting.

ACTA represents the Australian coffee industry by improving coffee standards, taking up with Federal and State Govts and Depts (and other large institutions) issues of concern to our members , promoting the image of coffee and providing a platform for networking and furthering education.

ACTA liaises with the media and regulative bodies on all aspects of the industry.

We regularly communicate industry issues with media e.g: – Coffee news – Magazines – addressing misleading and incorrect commentary – providing input on Fair Trade – Rainforest Alliance – 4C common code for the coffee community – Market movements – Green Bean pricing.

ACTA addresses industry issues with authorities e.g: – GST – Parchment (AQIS) – EPA standards – Customs requirements with coffee samples and speed of bio-security inspections.

ACTA’s involvement led to the successful negotiations excluding green coffee from GST; Instrumental in the reduction of duties on the importation of coffee.

2005 – GST on green coffee

As a standout achievement, in 2005 ACTA successfully made the case for why green coffee beans as foodstuffs should be considered exempt from GST. This single act was instrumental in the reduction of duties on green coffee imports.

2005 – AQIS concerns concerning parchment on coffee beans.

ACTA took up the concerns as raised by AQIS, arguing the additional parchment to be found on imports of certain green coffees was not exceptional, and a bi-product of how the coffee had been prepared at origin.