Wisconsin Ag Connection - Lawmakers Working to Protect State Ginseng Farmers

Wisconsin Ag News Headlines

Lawmakers Working to Protect State Ginseng Farmers
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 08/07/2007

U.S. Senators Russ Feingold and Herb Kohl, and Congressman Dave Obey introduced legislation last week to help protect farmers and consumers of ginseng by requiring that ginseng be labeled to identify where it was harvested. Based on their previous legislation, the new Ginseng Harvest Labeling Act of 2007 would require raw ginseng root that is imported or sold at wholesale or retail to clearly indicate the country in which the ginseng was harvested.

The bill will allow consumers to make informed decisions and have confidence in the ginseng they purchase by making it easier to identify ginseng actually harvested in Wisconsin since 95 percent of the U.S. cultivated ginseng is grown in the state. Wisconsin ginseng is widely heralded as the premier ginseng in the world.

"We must protect the superior quality of ginseng Wisconsin farmers produce from counterfeit labels and ginseng smugglers," Feingold said. "Consumers looking for a high quality ginseng product -- such as Wisconsin-grown ginseng – should be able to have confidence that they are getting the real thing and not a knock-off."

The three Wisconsin Democrats introduced the bill because smugglers from Canada and Asia have labeled their ginseng product as "Wisconsin-grown," misleading consumers and undercutting domestic ginseng growers. Wisconsin ginseng commands a premium price in world markets because of its high quality and low chemical residue.