We have a license from the state of NC to purchase ginseng for export. There is approximately 9000 lbs of NC ginseng sold to Hong Kong each year. In Madison county, NC where our farm is, there is approximately 800 lbs collected. Each harvester has to tell the state of NC, on a form, the county they collected in and the date, plus the pounds are recorded also on this form. Ginseng hunters are not going to tell you if they stole it, either from vacant or occupied lands.
Wild ginseng looks, tastes, and smells different from cultivated and sprayed ginseng.
We buy, usually in small amounts from older hunters, about 10 pounds each year. I am trying to get Americans to used American organic ginseng. So that, American ginseng will be on almost all the farms in our area, plus in places we travel for herbal conferences and herb festivals. We do go to small farms where ever we travel and get paid for private land site evaluations and ginseng or goldenseal plantings. We believe in deep ecology and agricultural sustainability, and think I we are one of the good guys.