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U.S. NEWSMonday 28 December 2015
Chinese medicinal herbs provide niche market for US farmers
MARY ESCH have serious side effects,
Associated Press
DELMAR, N.Y. (AP) — Ex- and there isn’t enough rig-
panding interest in tradi-
tional Chinese medicine orous scientific evidence
in the United States is fos-
tering a potentially lucra- to know whether tradi-
tive new niche market
for farmers who plant the tional Chinese medicine
varieties of herbs, flowers
and trees sought by prac- works for the conditions it
titioners.
While almost all practi- treats. Clinical trials are dif-
tioners still rely on imports
from China, dwindling ficult because treatments
wild stands there, as well
as quality and safety con- involve combinations
cerns, could drive up de-
mand for herbs grown of plants customized for
in the U.S. Several states
have set up “growing each patient.
groups” to help farmers
establish trial stands of the Giblette, who started High
most popular plants.
“As a farmer, I love the idea Falls Foundation in New
of growing something no
one else is growing, some- York’s Hudson Valley in
thing that’s good for peo-
ple,” said Rebekah Rice of 2008 to foster research and
Delmar, near Albany, who
is among 30 members of a conservation of medicinal
New York growing group.
“This project is seriously fas- plants, said growing un-
cinating.”
Jean Giblette, a research- der conditions similar to a
er who has established
New York’s group, said it plant’s natural habitat is
could also be a money-
maker. She estimates the one of the keys to produc-
market for domestically
grown medicinal plants to ing high quality medicinal
be $200 million to $300 mil-
lion a year. plants. The foundation will
Traditional Chinese medi-
cine is gaining mainstream provide the plants so it
acceptance in the U.S.
There are 30,000 licensed can ensure the authentic-
practitioners across the
country — 46 states issue ity of species and market
licenses, often requiring a
master’s degree and con- products only to licensed
Rebekah Rice, left, and Jean Giblette examine seedlings of trees used in Chinese herbal herbal practitioners.
medicine, after Giblette brought them to Rice’s greenhouse for the winter in Delmar, N.Y. Rice,
an organic farmer, is participating in a project launched by Giblette to foster medicinal herbs as Market research shows
a profitable niche crop for small farmers. Giblette estimates the market for domestically grown
medicinal plants to be $200 million to $300 milliion a year. high demand and low
(AP Photo/Mary Esch) supply, said Rob Glenn,
chairman of the nonprofit
Blue Ridge Center for Chi-
tinuing education cred- to species from China, relative of garden asters nese Medicine in Pilot, Vir-
its. In 2014, the Cleveland without contamination said to have anti-bacterial
Clinic opened one of the from heavy metals or pes- properties; Mentha hap- ginia. “The current herbs
first hospital-based Chi- ticides, I think it’s a great localyx, a mint used for
nese herbal therapy clinics opportunity for farmers,” stomach ailments; and from China are not of the
in the country. Starkey said. Salvia miltiorrhiza, a type
Jamie Starkey, a licensed More than 300 plants are of sage whose roots are quality they once were
practitioner of acupunc- commonly used in tradi- used for treatment of car-
ture and traditional Chi- tional Chinese medicine. diovascular diseases. and U.S. practitioners in-
nese medicine at the Giblette and Peg Schafer, The National Institutes of
Cleveland Clinic’s Center an herb grower in Peta- Health says traditional Chi- dicate they are willing to
for Integrative Medicine, luma, California, compiled nese medical techniques
said quality, authentic- a list of marketable spe- — which included prac- pay a premium price for
ity and purity are impor- cies for U.S. farmers. They tices such as acupuncture
tant concerns with herbal include Angelica dah- and Tai Chi — are primar- herbs grown with organic
products. urica, a flowering peren- ily used as a complement
“If growers in the U.S. can nial whose root is used to to mainstream medicine. principles, locally, with
produce a highest-quality relieve pain and inflam- The agency cautions that
product that is identical mation; Aster tataricus, a some medicinal herbs can high efficacy,” he said.
Using an economic de-
velopment grant from the
Tobacco Region Revital-
ization Commission, the
Blue Ridge Center is enlist-
ing local farmers to grow
medicinal herbs that the
center will process and sell
to licensed practitioners.q
World’s busiest airport welcomes 100 millionth passenger
ATLANTA (AP) — Hartsfield- nounced on its social me- one calendar year. plane tickets and a $500 recorded the moment.
Jackson Atlanta Interna- dia sites said it served its The passenger earning the gift card. Atlanta Mayor Hartsfield-Jackson general
tional Airport said it hit a 100 millionth passenger this distinction is Larry Kendrick Kasim Reed welcomed a manager Miguel South-
major milestone Sunday. year. That makes it the first of Gulfport, Mississippi, who surprised Kendrick, who well says the airport had a
The airport that calls itself single airport to serve that will receive a Nissan Altima, walked down a red carpet 5 percent increase in pas-
the world’s busiest an- number of passengers in two free Delta round trip as journalists and onlookers senger counts this year.q
