An official website of the State of Georgia.
Program History
The Georgia ginseng harvest season is from September 1 through December 31.
Export of American Ginseng is regulated under The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, which is administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). The export of Ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.) from Georgia is authorized by this federal authority in combination with the Georgia Ginseng Protection Act of 1979, as amended in 2013.
In order to have a legal ginseng trade in Georgia, the USFWS requires Georgia to maintain a Ginseng Management Program that ensures compliance with federal and state regulations. The objective is to prevent American Ginseng from becoming endangered due to trade.
The Wildlife Conservation Section administers the Georgia Ginseng Management Program, which monitors the size of the legal ginseng economy. Staff work with ginseng dealers, growers and the Wildlife Resources Division's Game Management and Law Enforcement Sections to make ginseng regulation a transparent process.
Ginseng Harvest Regulations
The Georgia Legal Code Concerning Ginseng
Ginseng Harvest Season in Georgia is September 1–December 31. Harvesting of ginseng is not allowed on state or federal lands. Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests will not issue American ginseng harvest permits due to continued declines and low population levels observed through monitoring and surveys. For more information, please visit the USFS Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest Ginseng Page.
Stewardship of Wild & Cultivated Ginseng
- American Herbal Products Association brochure: "Good Stewardship Harvesting of Wild American Ginseng (Panax quinquefolius)" for Georgia
- Medicinal Herb Production Guide for American Ginseng
- Video on How to Steward your Ginseng Population
Registered Ginseng Dealer Lists
Federal Information on American Ginseng & International Export
More Information on Georgia's Ginseng Management Program
Please contact Hannah Umstead or Trina Morris, Ginseng Management Program coordinators: GADNRGinseng@dnr.ga.gov.
Georgia Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife Conservation Section
Georgia Ginseng Management Program
2065 U.S. Highway 278 S.E.
Social Circle, GA 30025-4743
Phone: 706-557-3222
Fax: 706-557-3580