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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>And it is because of ridiculous comments like that, $1000 per pound for green ginseng, that I can no longer answer my telephone. I now screen every phone call because I am getting dozens of them every day from people around the country who think they are going to get rich from ginseng. And they don’t believe me, or get aggravated with me, when I give them the truth, so they are not pleasant conversations. Urgh. Jeanine<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Jeanine M. Davis, Ph.D.</span></b><span style='color:#1F497D'> <br></span><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Associate Professor and Extension Specialist</span></b><span style='color:#1F497D'> <br></span><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Dept. of Horticultural Science, NC State University</span></b><span style='color:#1F497D'> <br></span><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:red'>Email:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'> <a href="Jeanine_Davis@ncsu.edu%20">Jeanine_Davis@ncsu.edu<span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'> </span></a></span><span style='color:#1F497D'><br></span><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:red'>Websites:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:red'> </span><span style='color:#1F497D'> </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:blue'><a href="http://ncherb.org/">http://ncherb.org</a></span><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:red'> </span></b><span style='color:#1F497D'> </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><a href="http://ncspecialtycrops.org/">http://ncspecialtycrops.org</a></span><span style='color:#1F497D'> </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><a href="http://ncorganic.org/">http://ncorganic.org</a></span><span style='color:#1F497D'> <br></span><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:red'>Blog:</span></b><span style='color:#1F497D'> </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'> <a href="http://ncalternativecropsandorganics.blogspot.com/">http://ncalternativecropsandorganics.blogspot.com<span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'> </span></a></span><span style='color:#1F497D'><br></span><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:red'>Twitter:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'> <a href="http://twitter.com/JeanineNCSU">http://twitter.com/JeanineNCSU</a> </span><span style='color:#1F497D'><br></span><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:red'>Facebook:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><a href="http://www.facebook.com/people/Jeanine-Davis/1442912228"> http://www.facebook.com/people/Jeanine-Davis/1442912228</a> </span><span style='color:#1F497D'><br></span><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:red'>Address:</span></b><span style='color:#1F497D'> </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Mtn. Hort. Crops Research & Extension Center</span><span style='color:#1F497D'> <br></span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>455 Research Drive,</span><span style='color:#1F497D'> </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Mills River, NC 28759</span><span style='color:#1F497D'> <br></span><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:red'>Phone:</span></b><span style='color:#1F497D'> </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'> 828-684-3562 </span><b><span style='color:#1F497D'> </span></b><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:red'> FAX:</span></b><b><span style='color:#1F497D'> </span></b><span style='color:#1F497D'> </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>828-684-8715</span><span style='color:#1F497D'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style='border:none;border-left:solid blue 1.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 4.0pt'><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> MPWG [mailto:mpwg-bounces@lists.plantconservation.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Robert Layton Beyfuss<br><b>Sent:</b> Thursday, January 16, 2014 11:27 PM<br><b>To:</b> Ford, Patricia; mpwg@lists.plantconservation.org<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [MPWG] History Channel's ‘Appalachian Outlaws’<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#44546A'>Just watched episode 2 of A.O. For a “reality” show, they are not even close when it comes to the prices they claim to pay diggers. $1,000 a pound green weight is ridiculous. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#44546A'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> MPWG [<a href="mailto:mpwg-bounces@lists.plantconservation.org">mailto:mpwg-bounces@lists.plantconservation.org</a>] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Ford, Patricia<br><b>Sent:</b> Thursday, January 16, 2014 3:57 PM<br><b>To:</b> <a href="mailto:mpwg@lists.plantconservation.org">mpwg@lists.plantconservation.org</a><br><b>Subject:</b> [MPWG] History Channel's ‘Appalachian Outlaws’<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='color:black'>The History Channel (</span><a href="http://www.history.com/" target="_blank"><span style='color:black'>http://www.history.com/</span></a><span style='color:black'>) aired a new program called ‘Appalachian Outlaws’ on January 9, 2014, with two more episodes scheduled for Jan. 16th and 22nd, about a group of American ginseng diggers and buyers. Many members of the MPWG listserve have reported that the program glorifies illegal harvest of American ginseng (<i>Panax quinquefolius</i>) by showing diggers blatantly trespassing on public and private lands and harvesting under-age ginseng plants. Additionally, the United Plant Savers and the American Herbal Products Association have publicly come out against the program. </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background-repeat:initial initial'><span style='color:black'>State regulations for the harvest and buying of wild American ginseng are designed to ensure that ginseng roots are legally and sustainable harvested. The harvest of ginseng plants that are too young (plants with fewer than 3 compound leaves/prongs and under 5 years of age), plants with green fruits, and harvesting too many plants, could wipe out wild American ginseng and lead to the collapse of this multi-million dollar industry. </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background-repeat:initial initial'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='color:black'>Poaching ginseng from public and private property should not be encouraged and it is illegal </span>punishable by State and Federal laws. <span style='color:black'>Protected lands where ginseng harvest is not permitted, such as State lands, National Parks and some U.S. Forest Service lands, provide necessary refugia which helps to safeguard the long-term survival of this species into the future. </span>The right to own land is one of the most valued rights of Americans, p<span style='color:black'>oaching ginseng from private property deprives the rightful landowner income from their lands.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='color:black'>Last week, when we learned of the program, we, the U.S., Fish and Wildlife Service, contacted the History Channel about the program and sent them relevant information about the State/Federal management of American ginseng, and our key messages were posted on the program’s website at: </span><a href="http://www.history.com/shows/appalachian-outlaws/articles/ginseng-facts" target="_blank"><span style='color:black'>http://www.history.com/shows/appalachian-outlaws/articles/ginseng-facts</span></a><span style='color:black'>. We hope to expand our involvement with the History Channel to urge them to incorporate information about the importance of sustainable and legal harvest, and that there are responsible diggers that practice and </span>encourage good stewardship harvest <span style='color:black'>of wild American ginseng. </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background-repeat:initial initial'><span style='color:black'>The parent company of the History Channel is AE Network. Feedback on the program can be sent to </span><a href="mailto:aefeedback@aenetworks.com">aefeedback@aenetworks.com</a><span style='color:black'>. Or to A&E Television Networks, 235 East 45th Street, New York, New York 10017; or phone or fax the network at: 212-210-1400 (phone) or 212-210-9016 (fax).</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background-repeat:initial initial'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background-repeat:initial initial'><span style='color:black'>To learn more about the legal harvest and trade of American ginseng, please visit: </span><a href="http://www.fws.gov/international/plants/american-ginseng.html" target="_blank"><span style='color:black'>http://www.fws.gov/international/plants/american-ginseng.html</span></a><span style='color:black'>; </span><a href="http://www.ahpa.org/Default.aspx?tabid=154" target="_blank"><span style='color:black'>http://www.ahpa.org/Default.aspx?tabid=154</span></a><span style='color:black'>, and contact your State agency that manages ginseng.</span><o:p></o:p></p></div></div></div></body></html>