<html>
<body>
As Jean points out collectors have a variety of objectives for why they
do what they do. For those who its a substantial part of their
livelihood, as our paper referenced below points out, there is a huge
price gap (between a 'true' price and the 'market price) for most eastern
botanicals expect Ginseng and perhaps Goldenseal. This trade doesn't fit
the normal economic model of willing buyer and seller and is something
that as we suggest needs activities like cooperatives, certification
etc.<br><br>
On another related note did any of you see this article:<br>
<a href="http://nbbusinessjournal.canadaeast.com/journal/article/638282" eudora="autourl">
http://nbbusinessjournal.canadaeast.com/journal/article/638282</a><br><br>
I'm wondering whether the financial crisis has created opportunities for
NTFP niche markets to emerge?<br><br>
Mike<br><br>
At 01:14 PM 2009/04/22, Jean Giblette wrote:<br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">Dr Emery conjures up a benign
picture of nature-lovers out for a Sunday stroll, plucking and cherishing
their little nature token. While this picture no doubt accurately
describes some of the wild-gatherers, it misses the main point.<br><br>
Global trade in medicinal plants (and perhaps other NTFPs) relies on
paying people very low wages for goods extracted from nature. This
happens worldwide but also right here in eastern North America,
exacerbated by increasing poverty. (For those of you with good
government jobs -- hello -- yes, more of us are forced to scramble
frantically for cash these days.) <br><br>
Meanwhile, production costs for those of us trying to wild or
ecologically cultivate medicinals on owned or leased properties are
something like ten times the going rate for extracted goods. This
wage gap is thoroughly documented here:<br><br>
Burkhart, Eric P. and Michael G. Jacobson, 2008. “Transitioning from wild
collection to forest cultivation of indigenous medicinal forest plants in
eastern North America is constrained by lack of profitability,”
<i>Agroforestry Systems Journal </i>(Springer Science+Business
Media).<br><br>
I'm losing patience with the tactic of begging the Forest Service to
acknowledge value in natural resources, all the while handsome trade
profits are being made on the backs of rural people for whom an extra
$1000 means avoiding the repo man. The only solution I can figure
out is along the lines of the "local food" strategy. That
is, getting the message out to the general public: if you don't
know exactly where your medicinal plants come from -- the entire value
chain, from site or farm, grower, herbalist or product maker -- they're
probably stolen from your children.<br>
<br>
Also, we need to go way beyond Fair Trade to price parity.
Growers/wild-cultivators need to organize, support each other, get
certified to the max, and watch out for our own interests.<br><br>
Jean<br><br>
</blockquote>
<x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep>
<br>
Michael Jacobson<br>
Associate Professor of Forest Resources<br>
The Pennsylvania State University<br>
School of Forest Resources<br>
309 Forest Resources Bldg<br>
University Park, PA 16802<br>
(814) 865-3994<br>
Fax: (814) 865-6275<br>
mgj2@psu.edu<br>
<font color="#0000FF"><u>
<a href="http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/m/g/mgj2/" eudora="autourl">
http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/m/g/mgj2/</a></u> <br>
</font><u>
<a href="http://www.personal.psu.edu/mgj2/blogs/paforest/" eudora="autourl">
http://www.personal.psu.edu/mgj2/blogs/paforest/<br><br>
<br><br>
<br>
</a></u></body>
</html>