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The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA), the leading trade association for the herb industry in the United States, released a series of brochures in late July to inform harvesters about state and federal regulations for collecting and exporting wild American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) and to encourage sustainable harvesting practices.1 Nineteen versions of the “Good Stewardship Harvesting of Wild American Ginseng” brochures were developed, each focusing on a specific state that allows export of the plant.
The brochures were drafted with input from AHPA members, state ginseng coordinators, personnel of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS), and the board of United Plant Savers (UpS), a nonprofit organization dedicated to conservation of wild medicinal plants in North America. The board of the Roots of Appalachia Growers Association (RAGA) also contributed to the Ohio brochure.
“For the last decade, UpS has encouraged wildcrafting herbalists, ginseng diggers and our sanctuary members to follow good stewardship harvesting practices,” said UpS Executive Director Lynda LeMole in an AHPA press release.1 “These new educational brochures make it clear and easy to follow sustainable guidelines for the good of the plants, the people, and the wild habitats that will thrive, if our native medicinals are properly conserved.”
Each state-specific brochure presents information about the current appropriate state and federal rules that apply to harvesters and buyers of wild American ginseng and provides contact information for the relevant state regulatory offices. These brochures reflect the continued interest of herb industry leaders and state and federal officials in protecting wild American ginseng populations, particularly since FWS reinstated the 5-year age limit for exported plants in June, in place of the 10-year age limit of 2005.2 Prior to the FWS’s reverting to the 5-year limit, ABC published an extensive article on this subject with two related sidebars by noted American ginseng experts in HerbalGram 70.3,4,5 The ginseng brochures can be accessed online via the AHPA website at http://www.ahpa.org/Default.aspx?tabid=154 and are designed to be photocopied for easy distribution to ginseng buyers and ginseng diggers.1
References
1. Good stewardship harvest brochures for wild American ginseng now available. AHPA Update page. American Herbal Products Association Web site. Available at: http://www.ahpa.org/Default.aspx?tabid=69&aId=305&zId=16. Accessed July 28, 2006.
2. Cavaliere C. U.S. FWS reinstates 5-year age limit for exported wild American ginseng. HerbalEGram. July 2006;3(7). Available at: http://www.herbalgram.org/default.asp?c=ginsengharvest5. Accessed July 31, 2006.
3. Blumenthal M. Government increases restrictions on wild American ginseng export. HerbalGram. 2006;70:52-57.
4. Fletcher E. Ginseng ruling: how it will affect the wild ginseng industry. HerbalGram. 2006;70:54.
5. McGraw J. Threats to wild ginseng. HerbalGram. 2006;70:55.
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