Section 1580.70  Certification of Ginseng Shipments

a)         All ginseng roots harvested in the State of Illinois shall be certified as to origin and legal taking by an agent of the State prior to their being shipped or transported outside of the boundaries of the State.

b)         Only Illinois licensed dealers or growers may have ginseng certified within the State.

c)         The certification will be on forms provided by the certifying agent and will include:

1)         the name and address of the dealer or grower,

2)         the weight in pounds and ounces of dried root of both cultivated and wild ginseng,

3)         the date of certification,

4)         year of harvest,

5)         shipment number of dealer or grower for the year,

6)         signature of the dealer,

7)         signature of the state certifying official,

8)         dealer’s or grower’s State license number.

d)         Certification will be in triplicate with the original certificate accompanying the shipment, the dealer or grower retaining one copy for their records and the third copy being retained by the Department of Natural Resources.

e)         Licensed dealers and growers will be notified by mail of the times and locations where state certification officers will be available to certify ginseng.  Other persons can obtain information on certification by writing Ginseng Program, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Office of Law Enforcement, One Natural Resources Way, Springfield IL  62702-1271 (Phone 217/782-6431).

f)         Live one and two year old cultivated ginseng plants sold by growers for propagation purposes within the United States are not regarded as harvested and are exempt from the certification requirement.

(Source:  Amended at 26 Ill. Reg. 16537, effective October 28, 2002)