Hi, at request, I am putting a few references and facts up about global sourcing of herbs regarding TCM (but it applies to all herbs/food ingredients) -- and I apologize the length or if some sound basic, because I am not sure if everyone has heard some of the terms or orgs. Disclosure: I work in supplement ingredients, have been affiliated as a functional food formulator 20+ yrs with lifetime history in alternative foods, herbal practices. Some friends are involved with the development of or current certifications and fighting for ethical sourcing/ sustainability practices on a global level. Also, I am not the only one in the industry in this class, I believe, so please feel free to comment or correct if any details are off. Facts; personally- globalization to the mass level for profiteering is not something I generally support, but do support in a limited degree. If for formulations prepared and for use in North America, as far as Asian herbs that can be planted or will grow in the NE USA (as David spoke on) - I would highly encourage finding growers or seeds or viable roots to see if they will grow here, as I believe the bioactives might be more applicable if exposed to the conditions here. However, there are unique circumstances from a scientific level as to why there is a need for carefully selected, sustainable global sourcing. I actually agreed to stay in field to work for a company that the owner founded on the principles of his concern of traditional functional plants and climate change, plus the lack of interest in protecting such plants in the 90s. He felt science had to be done to prove there was bioavailable and efficacious compounds to argue why certain historically human health use plants needed careful botanical study and preservation/sustainable attention as he foresaw the threat to the plants. He is Chinese. Today, he carries a lot of items for industry- but will not grow bilberry in China (gets it only wild-crafted EU) or saw palmetto or choke berry (only sources from fair sustainable trade wild-crafted USA)-- as examples. He might dry and powder or concentrate in China, but says the bioactivity is highest from original natural source and he does provide to industry globally as do many others from China. But just like any country including the USA, it is split between bad players and good players. For resources and videos of some explanations, thoughts on understanding the extent of sourcing, agriculture, herbs, teas, etc - go here: (fyi-I am a long time member, full disclosure, but am not stating you have to be a member. The videos are posted on Facebook live during webinars, and on their FB page) "Sustainable Herbs Program by the American Botanical Council" https://sustainableherbsprogram.org/webinar/ particularly about China today, Please see the video from last year (scroll down on that page)- "Issues in the Chinese Botanical Industry: A Conversation with Thomas Avery Garran". There was another out today, Jan 26th that I missed (will have to review later) "Certifications as a Tool for Sustainable Sourcing in the Botanical Industry", also related. Organizations like American Botanical Council, American Herbal Products Association, even US Pharmacopeia - are creating scientific methods of plant identification and monographs constantly - to standardize plant ID/ purity and raise the integrity of the industry. Better suppliers and orgs, in addition to following monograph testing recommendations, also look at standard methods of testing for contaminants and purity, etc. I am not a member of the American Herbalists Guild, but I would assume they would have recommended sources and alerts as well? (Maybe someone else would know?) While not a perfect system, re China, the best concise explanation I can give -- even though the bad bulk is out there in higher numbers than desired, there is also a lot of good materials and good people who follow the recommendations and monographs to test before selling. There has been a decade plus long movement by the Chinese government to incentivize and protect herbs now as well due to people like the one I work for. In the past, it has been noticed that some bioactive compounds were richest or only 'as active' in treatment outcomes (studied with TCM, Acupuncture and Medical as well as bio-research institutions) -- if the plants were only in their original or close to original soil and "pristine" clean conditions (low/no pollution) and rarely could be cultivated or moved and have the same efficacy. With recent research and scientific acceptance of the symbiotic nature of plants within environments, more is known on the reasons why and so the Chinese government has been incentivizing top quality herbal farmers to have only 'wild-crafted' or 'forest grown'. Wild-crafted can be 'wild' grown but tended (think like cranberry bog) or a 'cultivated' close equivalent to what we tend to mean by 'organic' however, it additionally requires the plant to be grown in a similar origin area (as in, known historical origin area, or where it has grown wildly for a time, so many farmers do not weed the farm as much and allows a lot of natural growth). Forest grown- is much like good source wild American Ginseng type- as in, it has to be in the original forests, without weeding or doing any selective crop, so that it can grow in and around and with any other co-dependent environment species. So the reputable growers and suppliers tend to work within these practices (for example, Wylde One's blends would often tout 'wild-crafted', and some will have wild-crafted, organic, forest, non-GMO project verified and other statements or certifications on their ingredient information or specifications sheets.) Certification programs for sustainable herbs, regenerative agriculture, fair trade and additional international orgs in development (such as for the 'endangered 12' major herb/medicinal plants identified last fall) -- are generally expensive and require a lot of auditors and technical partners, so these help to legitimize a lot of better sources. And lately, I have seen more certifications on packaged items in larger Asian retail stores, many by US backed or US certification orgs-- which generally is too costly to enter for the 'less legitimate' players. Similar to China, India, Mexico, and many Latin American, and other countries have various certification abilities, but learn the certification stringencies and reputations, and often these ingredients will cost much more (but should be more bioactive with less contaminants). However, this still does not mean all suppliers and players will try to do the right thing now or future, and there is not one country or region that will remain automatically trustable. And it is not just China. Personally, for work in the past, I have had to change spice or grain sources from all over (India, USA, Canada, Latin America and more)- when Gluten Free formulations were in the early days-- as spices like dried basil or oregano (absolutely should be gluten free) would have lab tests coming back with extremely high levels of gluten. After investigations, it was found the source crops may have been tainted with wild grass seeds and grasses, either deliberately to weigh more at sale OR, purely incidental due to poor picking at time of harvest by the workers. And there are plenty of unscrupulous people trying to make quick cash in all parts of the world-- and generally those are sold in the cheaper markets or in cheaper commodity generic bags. (This goes for ALL food, supplement and beverage ingredients, as mass corporate production for profit has created a frenzy of producing 'look alike' cheap items to sell for higher profits, which started this trend. Sadly, due to mass production, the more unscrupulous ingredients were the smaller business, unbranded raw materials, not the bigger brands, because testing is so expensive). btw- personally, not that I am an expert of most herbs, I used to go to herbal shops in known locations like different Chinatowns, etc-- assuming all had some quality items. 20 yrs ago, most were still 'ok' but over the years, but beyond normal crop to crop or seasonal variables, I had started to notice my familiar herbs would have less stringency or odor, discolored, look structurally weaker, etc (especially Rhodiola, Korean ginseng, Ashwagandha, and other items that became extremely popular in media)-- so if it is not a known person or recommended by good sources, I would not go to those arbitrarily. The issue, regardless of where the herb was grown- in addition to the example for GF mentioned, a lot of what i know of many Asian traditional herbs have very high mineral/water needs from their growth areas. When there is such a high mineral/ water pull, the other problem is that these plants will also absorb toxic metals and other elements from high pollution or if from any cultivation using artificial/chemical means. So again, I do fact checking, get recommendations, look for certifications and lists of companies or regions that some certifying agencies offer on their websites. (again, best example might be American ginseng - you can get GGAA seal items (for growers and the seal validates what can or cannot be used) - or organic certification (generally is forest grown, since ginseng is tough organically otherwise), or, as in my case, I have a contact whose daughter has a large property in North Carolina with wild ginseng that she cuts down tops of only to protect from poachers, who would not be able to get certifications anyhow) - -- similar reasoning on finding good sources. If all else fails while I have sought particular herbs in the past, use good judgement on what your sensory perception tells you of the herb, seek help from experts, and so on. For simplicity, most of the sites recommended in this class are reputable, and because of global sourcing, those sites will also have a lot of the better quality herbs from all over. None of these are an absolute guarantee, or we would not have 'recall' systems built into place, but recommended options, certifications, most higher cost items with guarantees, are definitely better than assuming (for any consumed or topical application items available today.).

Well explained, thanks Judy for adding insight into this for all!

Hi Kelly- Please feel free to add -- as you have experience and wisdom to impart as well!

Thanks Judy! Great write-up! So who do you work for? I am trying to find certain herbs as we learn about them and have been overwhelmed at the online sources. I do not know the Chinese language and do not know what sources are ethical or have known unscrupulous dealing. Although I have contemplated going into NYC's Chinatown to learn more and would love a field trip as Andrew has done in the past. In his videos of the field trip he did go to Kampo which seems like a good source. Have you sourced good Huang Bai granules? I'm trying to find that to experiment with and learn these formulations better. Thanks!