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<DIV><STRONG><EM><FONT color=#008200 size=4
face="MS Mincho">Bob,</FONT></EM></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><EM><FONT color=#008200 size=4
face="MS Mincho"></FONT></EM></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><EM><FONT color=#008200 size=4 face="MS Mincho">It's unbelievable
what they leave to be assumed between the lines during this show once again.
</FONT></EM></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><EM><FONT color=#008200 size=4 face="MS Mincho">I also noticed that
Georgia digger dug and sold his ginseng in the same week, not enough
time to properly dry, yet Tony Coffman said I can get you $1,000 per lb
(which is obviously dry root prices) but there were weighing and showing fresh
roots. Misleading to say the least.</FONT></EM></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><EM><FONT color=#008200 size=4
face="MS Mincho"></FONT></EM></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><EM><FONT color=#008200 size=4 face="MS Mincho">They did slip one
bit of ethical/sustainability in when one digger mentioned that he wanted to
leave some there for his son to dig after he was gone. I was disappointed the
way it ended, with the land owner getting trapped, in his own trap, and not
catching the <U>thieves</U> that were <U>stealing</U> his ginseng. ....he did
have some creative methods of protection....</FONT></EM></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><EM><FONT color=#008200 size=4
face="MS Mincho"><BR>Genuinely,<BR>Edward J. Fletcher
<BR>Strategic Sourcing, Inc.<BR>Botanical Division,
C.O.O.<BR>828.898.7642<BR>Fax.898.7647<BR><A
href="mailto:Efletcher@StrategicSourcingInc.net">Efletcher@StrategicSourcingInc.net</A><BR><A
href="http://www.StrategicSourcingInc.net">www.StrategicSourcingInc.net</A><BR></FONT></EM></STRONG></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B>
"MPWG" <mpwg-bounces@lists.plantconservation.org> <BR><B>Sent:</B>
1/16/2014 11:27 PM <BR><B>To:</B> "Ford, Patricia"
<patricia_ford@fws.gov>; "mpwg@lists.plantconservation.org"
<mpwg@lists.plantconservation.org> <BR><B>Subject:</B> Re: [MPWG]
History Channel's ‘Appalachian Outlaws’ <BR><BR></FONT></DIV><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV class=WordSection1>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; COLOR: #44546a; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">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-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; COLOR: #44546a; FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<DIV
style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; PADDING-LEFT: 0in; PADDING-RIGHT: 0in; BORDER-TOP: #b5c4df 1pt solid; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 3pt">
<P class=MsoNormal><B><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">From:</SPAN></B><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> 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> mpwg@lists.plantconservation.org<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 style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"
class=MsoNormal><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 style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"
class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"
class=MsoNormal><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 style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"
class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"
class=MsoNormal><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 style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"
class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"
class=MsoNormal><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 style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"
class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"
class=MsoNormal><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 style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"
class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"
class=MsoNormal><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>
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