Native Medicinal Forest Plant Supply Chains in the Eastern United States: Opportunities, Challenges and Third Party Verification Eric P. Burkhart Shaver s Creek Environmental Center Penn State University
American ginseng Blue cohosh Goldenseal Wild yam Black cohosh Bloodroot Stoneroot Cranesbill
Known trade volumes of select native medicinal forest plants (AHPA, USFWS) Scientific name Trade name Trade volume (lb/yr/dry): 1997-2015 Actaea racemosa black cohosh ~ 118,000-760,000 Caulophyllum thalictroides Chamaelirium luteum Dioscorea villosa Hydrastis canadensis Panax quinquefolius Phytolacca americana Sanguinaria canadensis blue cohosh false unicorn root wild yam goldenseal American ginseng poke bloodroot ~ 4,000-8,000 ~ 4,000-6,000 ~ 32,000-68,000 ~ 43,000-265,000 ~ 60,000-159,000 ~ 1,000-12,000 ~ 26,000-49,000
Consumer Manufacturer Bulk distributor Regional consolidators Local buyer or country dealer Collector/grower General market network for North American forest botanicals
Herb Pharm, Williams, OR
Ontario, Canada
Forest based production brings. Shade cost savings! Versus Carrying cost $15,000-$35,000/acre
Appalachia
Forest farming An agroforestry practice in which specialty crops are introduced or husbanded in a forest that is managed to provide conducive growing conditions through forest stand improvements.
Goldenseal Ginseng Black cohosh Polycult ure
Agroforestry Conservation through Cultivation
Income Stewardship
Economics
Black cohosh Actaea racemosa
Black cohosh Actaea racemosa
Black cohosh Root and Herb Prices 1974-2012: Wild and Cultivated
Price ($US/lb/dry wt) $90 $80 $70 $60 $50 $40 $30 $20 $10 $0 Break even prices: black cohosh MEAN $2 $3 $1 MIN MAX 6 yr $77 EH (4) $57 NSC $76 $28 $26 NAC EH, NSC, NAC 4 yr $69 EH Early harvest NSC No stock costs NAC No annual costs EH (3) $60 $56 NSC $39 $25 NAC EH, NSC, NAC Historic prices Seed Transplants
Black cohosh Actaea racemosa
Black cohosh Actaea racemosa
Yield increases under cultivation are certainly possible for some species but..
Break even root weights black cohosh Seed Transplants
Yield increase needed to break even Seed Min price Transplant Max price Seed Transplant Black cohosh 71 64 24 22 Blue cohosh 396 346 85 74 False unicorn root 22 30 5 6 Wild yam 305 266 53 46 Goldenseal 5 6 2 3 American ginseng None None None None Bloodroot 65 85 8 10
Quality
Black cohosh Actaea racemosa
American bugbane Actaea podocarpa
Plants of Pennsylvania (2007)
Black cohosh Actaea racemosa
American bugbane Actaea podocarpa
Phytochemistry 68 (2007)
Goldenseal Hydrastis canadensis
Goldenseal Hydrastis canadensis
Goldenseal Hydrastis canadensis
Goldenseal Root Total Alkaloid Content: PA Wild Forest Grown
Goldenseal Root Berberine Content: PA Wild Forest Grown
Goldenseal Root Hydrastine Content: PA Wild Forest Grown Goldenseal Root Canadine Content: PA Wild Forest Grown
Goldenseal Hydrastis canadensis
Goldenseal Root and Herb Prices 1974-2012: Wild and Cultivated
Goldenseal Hydrastis canadensis
Price ($US/lb/dry wt) $120 $100 $80 $60 $40 $20 Break even prices: goldenseal $27 $18 $39 $87 $67 $76 $38 $26 $109 EH Early harvest NSC No stock costs NAC No annual costs $98 $56 $79 $25 $0 MEAN MIN MAX 6 yr EH (4) NSC NAC EH, NSC, NAC 4 yr EH (3) NSC NAC EH, NSC, NAC Historic prices Seed Transplants
Sustainablity
American ginseng Panax quinquefolius
12/03/2007
American ginseng Panax quinquefolius
Ginseng Root Prices (Average) 1974-2013: Wild vs Cultivated
Break even prices: American ginseng Price ($US/lb/dry wt) $700 $600 $500 $400 $300 $200 $384 $253 $577 EH Early harvest NSC No stock costs NAC No annual costs $196 $154 $194 $209 $165 $152 $110 $100 $57 $53 $51 $0 MEAN MIN MAX 6 yr EH (4) NSC NAC EH, NSC, NAC 4 yr EH (3) NSC NAC EH, NSC, NAC Historic prices Seed Transplants
200 roots per pound (dry) Minimum 5 years per crop $1,000 per pound = $5 per plant/root or $1 per year
Top 20 county harvest ranks: 1991-2014 totals 664 4,507 cumulative dry pounds 18 2 10 16 8 11 15 12 19 20 7 5 6 14 13 17 9 1 4 3
American ginseng Panax quinquefolius
American ginseng Panax quinquefolius
A New Supply Chain?
Plant husbandry options Wild steward Wild simulated Woods cultivated Wild steward (re-seeding) Wild steward (extra seeding) Cultivation (non-intensive) Cultivation (intensive)
The program is being expanded in 2016 to include..
Verification Process Applicant submits Forest Grown Management Plan PCO Conducts On-site Inspection Verification Decision Issuance of Verification
Pennsylvania Certified Organic Forest-grown verification program: Why should I join this program as a producer? Forest-grown products help to provide consumer confidence, demand and generate premium pricing within the US and international herbal marketplace. Many of today s herbal practitioners and household consumers are concerned about where their herbs are coming from, and related issues of adulteration, quality control and sustainable sourcing. PCO forest-grown labeling tells your customers that your product is what it is supposed to be, and that by purchasing your product they are making a choice to support ecologically sensitive farming practices and plant conservation initiatives. You are also giving consumers a brand that they can count on in the herbal marketplace that is increasingly crowded with dubious claims and companies.
Pennsylvania Certified Organic Forest-grown verification program: Why should I join this program as a producer? Forest-grown verification provides documentation of your forest 'crop' in the event of theft, land development, crop insurance and legal matters. There is perhaps more pressure than ever facing many native medicinal forest plants, and stewards of these plants. American ginseng, for example, continues to be the target of thieves and many growers are finding that their 'crop' is not recognized in the court of law when thieves are caught stealing from them. Crop documentation is one tool for landowners and law enforcement in the effort to protect one s investment. By providing records of the existence and value of your crop, you are providing a critical piece of information to address theft, crop injury and loss, and the value of forest ecosystems within your operation.
Pennsylvania Certified Organic Forest-grown verification program: Why should I join this program as a producer? Forest-grown verification may provide exemptions from existing regulations aimed at protecting the species in the wild. PCO and developers of the program are working with academia, nongovernmental organizations, and state and federal government to assure that the Forest-grown program complies with all existing state and federal regulations for each product included within the program. As part of the continued development of this verification program, PCO is exploring ways in which enrolled producers can be exempted from unnecessary restrictions pertaining to their forest crops. (e.g., harvest season and stage). This by necessity involves a state-by-state discussion with regulators and it is expected that as this program grows, many states will provide for exemptions for verified producers.
Program partners to date!..
Common name American ginseng Scientific name Panax quinquefolius Black cohosh Actaea racemosa 2,100 Goldenseal Hydrastis canadensis 2,700 Wild yam Dioscorea villosa 2,300 Solomon s seal Blue cohosh Polygonatum biflorum Caulophyllum thalictroides Quantity needed (lbs) 500-1100 (FG 10-15) 600-2,000 1,000 Bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis 300 Wood geranium Geranium maculatum 135-200 Mayapple Podophyllum peltatum 100-300
Common name American ginseng Historic market prices (2000-2015) per pound (dry weight) Modeled break even prices (min-max) per pound $150-$1,300+ $50-$210 None Price increase needed to break even Black cohosh $0.50-$9.00 $25-$75 50-150 or 3-8! Goldenseal $5.00-$35 $25-$110 5-22 or none-3! Wild yam Solomon s seal Blue cohosh $0.50-$9.50 $50-$160 100-320 or 5-17! $0.50-$15.00 Not available $0.50-$6.25 $50-$200 100-400 or 8-32! Bloodroot $5.00-$12.50 $25-$110 5-22 or 2-9! Wood geranium Historic prices versus modeled break even prices $1.00-$9.00 Not available
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5)28"-4&5()4%")9:;;&!!! Leadership and Technical Expert Team! John Munsell, Virginia Tech, Project Director! Holly Chittum, MD Univ of Integrative Health, Project Co-Director! Eric Burkhart, Penn State, Industry Coordinator, Technical Advisor! Jim Chamberlain, USDA FS, Technical Advisor! Jeanine Davis, NC State, Technical Advisor Forest Farmer Network Leader/Coordinators! Emily Lachniet, Appalachian Sustainable Development, Southern Range! Katie Trozzo, Blue Ridge Woodland Growers, Southern Range! Tanner Filyaw, Rural Action Ohio, Northern Range! Susan Leopold, United Plant Savers, Northern Range Service Provider Network Coordinators! Bill Hubbard, SREF Director, Southern Range! Tracy Coulter, PA DCNR, Northern Range! Kate MacFarland, National Agroforestry Center, USDA External Evaluator: Nancy Franz, Iowa State
<)#(%$=(>2%(1&?.()4& Leadership, Administration, Technical Support Tiffany Brown John Munsell Holly Chittum Priya Jaishanker Forest Farmer Network Leaders Service Provider Network Coordinators UPS ASD BRWG R A SREF PA BOF NAC Eric Burkhart Technical Support Jim Chamberlain Jeanine Davis Evaluation Nancy Franz
Shaver's Creek Environmental Center Plant Science Program