EDGAR Wis. (WAOW) — Ginseng farmers in Wisconsin are desperate for relief from the current trade war but as of now there is no end in sight.

Senator Tammy Baldwin was in Marathon County Monday to learn more first hand about the impact the trade war is having on farmers in our area. She even said “it seems like the worst is yet to come.”

Marathon County grows 90 percent of all cultivated American ginseng, with 85 percent of Wisconsin ginseng exported to China. The tariffs have and continue to devastate exports.

“The tariffs went from 7.5 percent to now I believe the total now is 41.5 percent that is a huge change,” said Baldwin.

In April Baldwin said she pressed the Trump administration to provide support for Wisconsin ginseng farmers by ending the trade war. She said “the aid that is being offered is really a drop in a bucket.”

In a statement, Rep. Sean Duffy said in part, “China has had a sweet deal by taking advantage of US exporters and the lax trade policies of previous administrations.. As the administration works on securing fairer trade deals, it’s also critical that farmers are assisted in the interim.. That’s why I worked with the President and Secretary Perdue to deliver assistance to Wisconsin farmers. I’m especially glad that the President came through for Wisconsin cranberry and ginseng growers.”

But as for the future of Wisconsin ginseng and its farmers, they’re hoping that local legislators will help bring the trade war to a close.