Tariff row unsettles ginseng growers

WASHINGTON - Joe Heil has grown ginseng for more than 20 years. His Wisconsin-based farm with 50-acre ginseng was lucrative. Recently, however, the fear of loss looms large in his mind.

As the US-ignited trade frictions with China escalate, some customers who have expressed interest in purchasing Wisconsin ginseng have backed off. "They're scared about what the tariffs are going to do to their margins," the 46-year-old grower said earlier this month, before both countries announced fresh tariffs.

Owing to good soil and weather, Wisconsin is well known for its high-quality ginseng, which accounts for over 90 percent of the total cultivated ginseng output of the United States.