The North Dakota Department of Agriculture is responsible for administration of the state Ginseng law (NDCC 4-39).

Ginseng is regulated because wild American ginseng is protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).  CITES is an international trade agreement which the United States has agreed to.  The purpose of the Convention is to regulate the international trade of certain endangered species to prevent adverse impacts to their populations. 

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service is responsible for assuring that the provisions of the Convention are met and has established a joint ginseng management program with states to monitor and regulate ginseng harvest and commerce.

Under the North Dakota program:

• Ginseng Growers and Dealers must be registered.
• Growers must submit an annual harvest report.
• Growers and Dealers must complete a Cultivated Ginseng Shipping Certificate and Confidential Dry Root Shipping Record for every sale or shipment to other dealers and for sale or shipment out of state.

Contacts:

• Charles Elhard
  (701) 239-7295
  celhard@nd.gov

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