FEINGOLD,
KOHL FIGHT TO PROTECT WISCONSIN’S PREMIUM GINSENG
Pending Legislation in the Farm Bill Would Help Consumers Identify
Ginseng Harvested in the U.S.
February 26, 2008
Washington, D.C. –
U.S. Senators Russ Feingold (D-WI) and Herb Kohl (D-WI) continue to
fight to protect Wisconsin ginseng, which is widely heralded as the
premier ginseng in the world. The Wisconsin senators are urging the
Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman and Ranking Member to keep a requirement
in the Senate Farm Bill that raw ginseng root be labeled to identify
the country where it was harvested. Wisconsin produces over 90 percent
of the ginseng grown in the United States. Yet, the high demand for
ginseng has led to smugglers from Canada and Asia labeling their ginseng,
which often has traces of pesticides and other chemicals not approved
in the US, as “Wisconsin-grown”, misleading consumers and
undercutting domestic ginseng growers. A country-of-harvest label would
help consumers and producers by ensuring that consumers who pay a premium
for Wisconsin-grown ginseng are getting what they pay for and that the
higher prices find their way back to the pockets of hard-working American
ginseng farmers.
“This ginseng labeling
provision is crucial for Wisconsin ginseng farmers and consumers who
lose when foreign farmers free-load off of Wisconsin ginseng’s
unparalleled reputation,” Feingold said. “The final Farm
Bill must maintain this simple provision to ensure that consumers looking
for Wisconsin ginseng are getting the real thing and not a knock-off.”
“The strong reputation
earned by Wisconsin ginseng growers can only be protected by requiring
the exact country of harvest label for this product,” Kohl said.
“With this common-sense provision, the Farm Bill will restore
honesty to the market to safeguard consumers and domestic ginseng farmers
alike.”
The ginseng provision in
the Senate version of the Farm Bill was based on the Wisconsin lawmakers’
Ginseng Harvest Labeling Act of 2007. Feingold and Kohl worked hard
to ensure the ginseng labeling provision in the Farm Bill was straight-forward,
reasonable for importers, wholesalers, and retailers of ginseng. The
Ginseng Harvest Labeling Act of 2007 is supported by the Ginseng Board
of Wisconsin, the American Herbal Products Association, and the United
Natural Products Alliance.
A copy of the letter can
be viewed here.
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