Ginseng Management Programs in United States
Maryland:
The ginseng management program protects American ginseng, Panax quinquefolius,
from over harvesting while allowing diggers to collect wild and cultivated plants.
Harvested ginseng is certified so licensed dealers can sell this plant in international
markets. Ginseng is a native herbaceous perennial that grows in woodland habitats.
The dried roots are highly prized, especially in China and Korea, for their putative
properties as an herb that promotes good health and well being.
Maryland Law requires anyone who collects and harvests ginseng for sale to have a
valid annual collecting permit. Download the Application for Ginseng Collecting
Permit to obtain an application. In addition, anyone who buys ginseng for resale shall
register annually with the Department as a ginseng dealer. Download the Application
for Ginseng Dealer's License to obtain an application.
Application for Ginseng Collecting Permit (PDF)
Application for Ginseng Dealer Permit (PDF)
New York:
In 1987 regulations were adopted that established conservation practices for
American ginseng in New York State (6 NYCRR 193.4-193.8). These regulations
established a ginseng harvest season, a dealer permitting system, conservation
practices, and certification procedures. A year later, the United States Department of
the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) approved the New York State American
Ginseng Program and lifted a ban on the export of New York grown ginseng. The
program is reviewed annually to see if it meets all the federal requirements under
The Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora
(CITES), an international treaty.
New York's ginseng program has been set up to help those in the ginseng business.
The regulations were written with assistance from the New York Ginseng Association.
The regulations have made it possible for New York ginseng dealers to conduct
interstate and international trade in American ginseng while preventing over
exploitation of wild ginseng.
Ginseng is an important forest crop. It grows on well drained, rich soils under
northern hardwoods. Most of New York State has the potential for growing ginseng.
It also has the potential to provide more of an economic return than any other forest
crop. It is estimated that ginseng harvesting in New York is over $3 million annually,
and another $50 million of out-of- state harvested ginseng is bought and sold by
New York dealers each year. Ginseng is an important source of income for many New
Yorker's and could become a source of income for many others. The cultivation of
ginseng is a rapidly expanding business in the state with an unlimited potential.
No ginseng may be harvested from any State Lands (6 NYCRR 190.8(g)). Violators of
this regulation will be prosecuted.
The ultimate goal of the ginseng program is to insure the survival of the species in
the wild. By providing technical assistance and information to ginseng growers,
harvesters, and dealers, the DEC can help conserve the species, while providing jobs
and income to many people.
New York Ginseng Regulation (PDF)
Application for New York Ginseng Dealer Permit (PDF)
Pennsylvania:
Ginseng Harvesting
and Commercial Dealer License Information
Harvest Season and Condition Restrictions
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A person may harvest ginseng roots only from August 1 through November
30.
No person may possess harvested green ginseng roots between April 1 and
August 1. A person may possess dry ginseng at any time of the year.
Only mature ginseng plants with at least three leaves of five leaflets each
may be harvested and only when the seeds are red.
Persons harvesting ginseng plants must plant seeds from the plants in the
immediate area of the collection site.
Persons wishing to harvest ginseng from public lands, such as State Forests,
State Park Lands or Allegheny National Forest, must first secure a permit
from the appropriate agency. This permit is not the same as the commercial
license.
Persons wishing to harvest ginseng from private land do not need a permit,
but must have the landowner's permission to remove this or any other plant.
Beginning May 2002, individual State Forest Districts stopped issuing collection
permits for ginseng and goldenseal. To determine if ginseng/goldenseal collection is
permitted on State Forest land, contact the District Office in which collection is
desired.
Harvesters need to complete a Harvester Certification form for all ginseng harvested.
Information included on the form: name/address of harvester; date of harvest; date
of transfer to dealer; name of dealer; name/address of landowner. The Harvester
Certification states that you received permission from the landowner to harvest
ginseng on their land. You can obtain Harvester Certification forms by calling the
Department at 717-787-3444.
Dealer Information
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Any person within Pennsylvania who plans to buy, trade, or barter ginseng
with the intent to sell ginseng or any other vulnerable plant must obtain a
Vulnerable Plant License.
One may apply at any time during the year for a commercial license. That
license is valid until June 30 of the year following the date of issuance.
The fee for a commercial license is $50.00. Checks must accompany the
application form and be made payable to the "Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania."
Application forms for a license and transaction report forms are available from
the Bureau of Forestry at the following address:
Department
Bureau
P.O.
Harrisburg,
717-787-3444
of
Conservation
of
Box
PA
and
Natural
Resources
Forestry
8552
17105-8552
New for 2003-2004 ginseng harvest season: Under the authority of the Wild
Resource Conservation Act and regulations to regulate the digging,
harvesting, and sale of vulnerable plants, the Department will be requiring
dealers to maintain harvesting documentation in their transaction records
and to include it in the Ginseng Dealer Quarterly Reports submitted to the
Department.
Requirements of a Licensed Dealer
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Commerce records must be maintained by all licensed dealers and include the
following information:
o Name and address of all persons involved in any exchange of a
vulnerable plant, along with the date of each transaction;
o Scientific and common names of the vulnerable plants;
o The county where the plants were harvested;
o Description detailing the form or condition of the plants (root, seeds,
etc.);
o The year the plants were harvested;
o The weight, destination and date of export for each shipment of plant
roots;
o A statement of whether the plant roots were wild or cultivated;
o Any other records required by the Department of Conservation and
Natural Resources (DCNR).
All commerce records must be maintained for five years and must be made
available upon request for inspection by DCNR.
All dealers must submit a Ginseng Quarterly Report on forms provided
by DCNR within 15 days of the end of each quarter. The forms must be
completed fully. Reports must be submitted even if there are no transactions
in the quarter. The quarters are as follows:
Quarter
1
January
1
through
March
Quarter
2
April
1
through
June
Quarter
3
July
1
through
September
Quarter 4 - October 1 through December 31
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31
30
30
All dealers must submit an annual report on forms provided by DCNR by
January 15 that includes transactions from January 1 to December 31. The
reports must be completed fully. An annual report must be submitted even if
there are no transactions for the year.
The transfer of any commercial license is strictly prohibited.
Dealers are required to attach Harvester Certifications to the Ginseng Quarterly
Report forms to document the legal harvest of ginseng in your possession. Effective
August 1, 2003, a Harvester Certification form must be completed for EVERY transfer
of ginseng by a harvester to a dealer. For PA ginseng harvested in previous harvest
seasons, the name and address of the landowner is not required; however, all other
portions of the form must be completed. For PA ginseng harvested on or after August
1, 2003, the entire Harvester Certification form must be completed. The Harvester
Certification form must be completed and signed by the harvester and given to the
dealer at the time of transfer. The dealer will attach the ORIGINAL completed
Harvester Certification to the corresponding Ginseng Dealer Quarterly Report when
submitting the Report to the Department. The dealer will retain the YELLOW copy of
the Harvester Certification to file with business transaction records required by the
Department. The dealer will return the PINK copy of the Harvester Certification to
the harvester.
Exportation Restrictions
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No person can export ginseng out of Pennsylvania without first obtaining a
commercial license and a Pennsylvania ginseng certificate.
A Pennsylvania ginseng certificate is required for each export shipment of
Pennsylvania ginseng.
Requirements for a Certification
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All ginseng must originate in Pennsylvania.
A certificate will only be issued if the dealer presents the shipment to the
Bureau of Forestry at a District Forest Office along with the following
information:
o Dealer's name and commercial license number;
o A statement of whether the ginseng is wild or cultivated and green or
dry;
o The year of harvest of the ginseng being certified;
o The weight of the shipment verified by a weight receipt from a
Department of Agriculture certified scale;
o Transaction records related to the ginseng being certified;
o The shipment number and any other information the DCNR may
request.
The transfer of any ginseng certificate is strictly prohibited.
Unsold Ginseng
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A dealer having unsold ginseng on March 31 is required to obtain a weight slip
for that ginseng from a Department of Agriculture certified scale and submit a
copy of that slip to the Bureau of Forestry by May 1.
A dealer may not obtain a Pennsylvania ginseng certificate to export unsold
ginseng possessed by the dealer in excess of the amount shown on the
weight slip.
A LICENSE MAY BE REVOKED IF ANY OF THE ABOVE CONDITIONS ARE NOT MET
Licensed Vulnerable Plant Dealers In Pennsylvania
(July 1, 2006- June 30, 2007)
NOTE: This list is offered as a service to both buyers and sellers. By providing this
list, the PA DCNR is not promoting wild harvest of vulnerable plant species and other
botanicals. Rather, it is recognized that many individuals throughout the
commonwealth are encouraging, planting, and otherwise husbanding native plant
resources for economic gain and/or personal pleasure. For such individuals, the
ability to market and sell these commodities through listings such as this is a
valuable benefit. The PA DCNR emphasizes that proactive plant husbandry practices
must be followed by Pennsylvanians to ensure the long-term sustainability of the
resource and the industry. Please think carefully about the consequences of your
own activities on the plant species of our state and always strive to increase their
numbers.
Alleghany Mt. Ginseng
Dale A. Smith
1306 Barnum Road, Eldred PA 16731
814-225-3452/Fax-814-225-4441
smithginseng@pennswoods.net
Cherokee Fur Post Inc.
Edward J. Regula
Box 125, Brownfield, PA 15416
Ph-724-439-3228/Fax-724-439-1099
Cocolamus Creek Supplies
Donald Elsasser
RR #1, Box 660, McAlisterville, PA
17049
717-463-3044/Fax-717-463-3036
110 South Main Street, Petersburg WV
26847 304-257-4491
hideroot@hardynet.com
Dove's Fur
Floyd C. Huggins
PO Box 165, Leisenring, PA 15455
724-628-9460
Ginseng Co. Tian Hui
USA & American
Fong Lam
2001 Stonesthrow Road
Bethlehem, PA 18015
(610) 691-2001
KUNLAM21@yahoo.com
Gruver's Trading Post
Gary C. Gruver
RD #2, Box 218, Mayport, PA 16240
814-256-3743
jaggruver@msn.com
Hershey's International,
Inc.
James R. Aardweg
8210 Carlisle Pike, York Springs, PA
17372
Ph-717-528-4495/Fax-717-528-8503
hershey@hersheyintl.com
175 Schoolhouse Road
Benton, PA 17814
570-925-2627
Johnson's Furs Inc.
22 Miller's Gap Road, Enola, PA 17025
717-766-8166
jjfurs@aol.com
Millin's Hides, Furs & Tree
Seeds
Dennis G. Millin
8004 Kingwood Road, Confluence, PA
15424
Ph-814-395-5332/Fax-814-395-3242
treeseed@qcol.net
PO Box 2347, East Liverpool, OH
43920
Ph-330-385-1832/Fax-330-385-1842
ohioriver4@comcast.net
554 Cummings Road, Barre, VT
802-479-0802/Fax-802-479-2046
korshak@wildginseng.com
Ohio River Fur & Ginseng
Co.
Quality Northern Ginseng
Co.
R.H. Madison Furs
660 Water St., P.O. Box 116
Conneaut Lake, PA 16316
(814) 382-2501
Randall Yenzi
Randall Yenzi
3168 Knoxdale Road
Reynoldsville, PA 15851
814-938-3864
Reyan's Fur & Ginseng
William T. Reyan, Sr.
13696 Lincoln Highway
Everett, PA 15537-7410
814-652-6286
T & T Fur Buyers
Theresa A. Siko
412 Old Crabree Road, Latrobe, PA
15650
724-537-8037
73 Rob Mar Road, Trout Run, PA
17771
570-634-3150
RD 1 Box 199A, Tidioute, PA 16351
814-484-7718
Thomas Herb Company
Charles O. Thomas
Thomas E. Kording
Westmoreland Fur Post
Wicsun Trading, Inc.
Eric Fok
Wisconsin:
109 Butz Road, Latrobe, PA 156509420
724-537-4068
daintydorothy@aol.com
22 Steuben Street, Brooklyn, NY
11205
718-852-6844
wicsun@aol.com