To reach their conclusions, the researchers used a confidential, annual survey sent to ginseng sellers over eight years in Pennsylvania to examine the extent to which forest farming and planting of commercially acquired seeds may contribute to wild ginseng harvest amounts.

Better than one in four of planters indicated they used commercially available planting stock in these efforts, the researchers found. Moreover, the researchers said, there was geographic overlap between study participants who planted seeds and the top wild ginseng harvest counties, suggesting planting activities are contributing to higher harvest amounts.

To put the research into context, Burkhart pointed out that ginseng has been listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora agreement — or CITES Treaty — since Fish and Wildlife Service requires ginseng-producing states to have a legal export program with certain restrictions in place such as a harvest season.

To reach their conclusions, the researchers utilized a confidential, annual survey sent to ginseng sellers over eight years in Pennsylvania to examine the extent to which forest farming and planting of commercially acquired seeds may contribute to wild ginseng harvest amounts.

There has been continued growth in forest farming and ginseng planting in recent decades, using seed acquired from a variety of sources — some commercial, Burkhart said. Landowners and ginseng diggers fear price devaluation, theft and taxation — and often disagree over what constitutes truly wild plant material, Burkhart explained.

Yet despite its longevity and scale, Heil is struggling to keep his business afloat. Expensive tariffs amid trade wars between the U. American ginseng farming is a small industry, almost entirely concentrated in Marathon County. One hundred fifty ginseng farms—up to 10 acres 30 acres in total root undergrowth each—operate in the county, many run by Hmong and Latinx farm workers.

Even with its small geographic size, the industry produces a total of 1. But with increasing tariffs and travel restrictions, ginseng farmers are facing hefty taxes and a severe dip in product demand—imminent threats to the survival of the industry.

Second-generation ginseng producer Will Hsu is the president of the farm, taking over the business his Taiwanese immigrant father began in Since July , tariffs on U. agricultural commodities rose from a 7. An overhead view of one of the Hsu Ginseng Enterprise fields.

Photo courtesy of Hsu Ginseng Enterprise. Retaliatory tariffs forced Hsu to upend his business model. Instead of selling ginseng abroad, Hsu began marketing ginseng to Chinese communities living in the U.

His ginseng sales now focus on domestic wholesalers such as Asian grocery stores, Chinese-run pharmacies, and traditional Chinese medicine shops. Almost all of that money came in from abroad. The pandemic landed an additional blow to their operations and sales, decimating the domestic market, says Hsu.

Travel restrictions to and from China hindered foreign customers from purchasing Wisconsin ginseng. The excess ginseng supply, which can be stored dry for up to five years , has only accumulated since the pandemic reduced its demand.

Hopefully soon. Joe Heil inspects American ginseng seeds. Photo courtesy of Heil Ginseng Farms. Like Hsu, Heil expresses similar sentiments over the fear of a collapsing ginseng market. Heil blames the drastic dip in sales on U.

trade inequities with China. As a result of tariffs, ginseng producers in Wisconsin have been paying double the amount of ginseng export taxes compared to Chinese producers, according to Heil, who also serves on the board of directors of the Ginseng Board of Wisconsin.

The imbalance in taxes is hurting Wisconsin ginseng farmers, since they are unable to compete with Chinese prices. Trade wars, however, corroded these ties, lowering the demand for it.

In addition, ginseng is not as adaptive as other export-heavy crops grown in the U. The crop takes up to five years to grow, and lacks alternative domestic channels that crops such as corn have. The pandemic also imposed additional barriers on Chinese buyers, says Zhang.

Travel restrictions prevent buyers from visiting Wisconsin to check on the quality of the products, and coronavirus fears over contaminated shrimp and salmon imports have prolonged the customs inspection process.

The trade war between China and the United States creates more uncertainties. Marcus Cheng, buyer for Sun Ming Hong Canada Ltd. Buyers may also start avoiding Canadian ginseng, he adds, because of fears that tariffs on U.

ginseng will eventually extend to the Canadian product. Ontario growers do, though, have an edge on their competitors. Practitioners of Chinese medicine place high value on plant species grown in their native environments, believing the native soils and climate improve the quality of the root.

It all gets exported to Asia; they love our ginseng. How does that happen? This is one in a series of stories about issues affecting southwestern Ontario.

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