Gov Announces Major Trade Deal For Wisconsin Ginseng Producers

Governor Scott Walker has announced a ten-year, multimillion dollar trade deal between a Chinese distributor and Wisconsin ginseng producers.

The deal came during the Governor’s trade mission to China. Tong Ren Tang, a giant pharmaceutical chain, has agreed to buy up to $200 million of the state’s prized medicinal root crop, according to Jen Pino-Gallagher of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.

“It helps raise the brand awareness of Wisconsin-made ginseng and also protects the Wisconsin brand in China. It not only is a potential opportunity for more sales, but also for maintaining the world-renowned status of Wisconsin ginseng.”

Every harvest season, Chinese traders travel to Joe Heil’s farm near the Marathon County Village of Edgar, inspecting the new crop of roots, which they consider to be the best in the world. Ninety-five percent of America’s ginseng comes from Wisconsin, and almost all of that comes from Marathon County. Heil is not only a grower; he is the president of the Ginseng Board of Wisconsin.

“They’ve always sought the Wisconsin ginseng due to the soil and the climate that our ginseng’s grown in. The ginsenocides are higher. Taste is better. It lasts longer.”

But ginseng is a notoriously tough crop to grow. Heil says the ten-year contract may provide some much needed stability.

“Growers can be assured that maybe we have a more stable market versus the roller coaster that the ginseng industry has been used to. To know there’s going to be a return in four years hopefully is reassuring and growers will continue to plant.”

It takes four years for ginseng roots to mature after they are planted. Last year’s export crop was worth $19 million dollars.