Contact Us
AgNet

Information about Being a Kentucky Ginseng Dealer

 

 

A "dealer" in Kentucky means any person or agent of an entity buying ginseng for resale or export. Under 302 KAR 45:010 E Section 2 "Dealer License Requirements," no person shall purchase uncertified ginseng for resale or export unless they possess a ginseng dealers license.

     

    This means you will need to be a licensed dealer if you are

  • wishing to buy ginseng from harvesters and plan to sell the ginseng and/or certify it for export out of Kentucky.
  • a harvester and wish to export your ginseng out of Kentucky.

 

Once the ginseng is certified for export out of Kentucky, it may be sold at any time to any person in Kentucky and legally leave the state. Certified ginseng may even be sold in Kentucky from April 1 - September 15. However, you will need to refer to importing states' laws and regulations for their rules regarding the selling of certified ginseng.

 

To Become a Kentucky Ginseng Dealer

     

    Dealer Licenses Important Dates: 

  • Dealer licenses are valid from
    September 1 - August 31. 
  • Dealer renewal letters and applications are mailed each July. 
  • New dealers should apply after July 1 for a Kentucky Ginseng Dealer License that is valid for the current year's fall harvest. In other words, to be a Kentucky Ginseng Dealer on September 1 of 2021, apply after July 1, 2021.  This license would be valid September 1, 2021 to August 31, 2022.
  • Applications received prior to June 30 each year are for a license that expires August 31 of the current year. A dealer application received on June 30, 2021 will receive a Kentucky Ginseng Dealer License that expires August 31, 2021. If you need a  license valid from September 1, 2021 to August 31, 2022, apply after July 1, 2021.

    •  

    In order to become a licensed Kentucky Ginseng Dealer:

1. Print the dealer application (right column under Forms & Documents) and complete all information needed. (We only publish your name, address and main phone number in our dealer directory.)

2. Have the form notarized. (*Notaries are often available at financial institutions.)

3. Make a copy of your driver's license or other government issued identification.

4. Make a check or money order to "Kentucky State Treasurer". The fee is $75.00 for Kentucky residents and $150.00 for non-residents.

  • Per 302 KAR 45:0101 Section 2 (2) Residency shall be determined by the state of issuance of a driver’s license or other government issued identification.

5. Mail your completed application, identification copy, and fee to:

 

Kentucky Department of Agriculture
Ginseng Program
111 Corporate Drive
Frankfort, KY 40601


From there, once your ginseng dealer application is approved, you will receive all of the appropriate materials and forms to conduct ginseng business in Kentucky. Start of season packets are mailed each August upon approval of your ginseng dealer application. You may not conduct business ginseng business until you receive notice of your approved application and the materials to conduct ginseng business.

 

Dealer Packet Materials

 

In order to expedite checking of your ginseng scales, some scale inspectors are scheduling time in your community for you to have your scaled checked. Inspectors will contact past dealers directly for scheduling. New dealers (and dealers with new scales) will need to call an request an inspection. You may schedule a scale check before or after a ginseng certification appointment in Frankfort.

 

Other Information

     


Important Ginseng Dates

 

 

 

 

  • Digging Season: September 1 - December 1
  • Buying Season:
    Green start September 1
    Dry season September 15 - March 31
  • Final certification for harvest season April 15
  • State Holidays
  • There will be other specific times certifying agents will be unavailable; please call ahead for an appointment and plan accordingly
  • Dealer licenses are valid from
    September 1 - August 31. 
  • Dealer renewal letters and applications are mailed each July. 
  • New dealers should apply after July 1 for a Kentucky ginseng dealer's license that is valid for the current year's fall harvest.  In other words, to be a Kentucky Ginseng Dealer on September 1 of 2021, apply after July 1, 2021.  This license would be valid September 1, 2021 to August 31, 2022.
  • Applications received prior to June 30 each year are for a license that expires August 31 of the current year. A dealer application received on June 30, 2021 will receive a Kentucky Ginseng Dealers that expires August 31, 2021. If you need a  license valid from September 1, 2021 to August 31, 2022, apply after July 1, 2021.

 

Ginseng Certification Appointment Scheduling

 

If you have a Google account or Gmail address, you can schedule and see times available to certify your ginseng by clicking here. 

 

Our offices have reduced staffing to minimize potential exposure to COVID-19 and meet Healthy at Work Guidelines. Visitors are allowed on campus by appointment only. You must conduct a self-administered health assessment the day of your appointment and wear a mask.

Ginseng Inspection Appointments

1. Ginseng inspections are by appointment.
2. To help make this process most efficient, an active email account is necessary. Please note that we often cannot send or receive emails from address hosted at the yahoo.com domain. Further, an email account from google, a gmail account, is required to use the self-scheduling
3. You may schedule an appointment using a google/gmail.com account. A gmail account, is required to use the self-scheduling appointment calendar at https://tinyurl.com/ginsengappointment.
4. You will need to submit your Purchase Transaction Forms, Dealer to Dealer Transcation Form, and certification lot preferences before your appointment. We will review and record these documents before your scheduled appointment.
5. Your options to submit your documents follow:
➢ Scan your documents, including dealer to dealer transaction forms
➢ Fax your documents. Contact us for the number and for us to know to look for documents on the fax machine to secure your documents.
➢ Use a PDF software on your phone to text or email. (https://www.simplemost.com/how-to-use-your-phone-to-scan-documents/)
➢ Mail copies of the originals. We can contact you to schedule your appointment after we receive your purchase forms. This is not an option if you need timely export certificates. We do not recommend mailing the original documents.
➢ Drop off the originals at our office. We have a drop box in our lobby you can leave an envelope with your documents. This is simply a drop off box; there will not be any staff available to assist you.
6. Submission deadline:
See the attached inspection calendar. Most inspection days fall on a Thursday or Wednesday; this changes from week to week. If the inspection day is Thursday, the submission deadline is Tuesday, except for holidays then the deadline is Monday. If the inspection day is Wednesday, the submission deadline is Monday.
7. We will confirm the recorded poundage and fees by email the day before your scheduled appointment. Please remember your check or money order to pay the certification fee on the day of your inspection.

Inspection Day
1) Arrive at your appointment on time.
2) Complete your Visitors Health Assessment, including temperature check.
3) Bring the ginseng you are certifying for an inspection on the day of your appointment. The ginseng will be visually examined, weighed, and have a sample pulled for a root and age count.
4) Bring your original documents.
5) Bring your fee payment. Certification fee is $2.00 per pound and is payable by check or money order. We cannot accept cash or credit payments.
6) Our office is located at 111 Corporate Drive, Frankfort, KY 40601.

 

State Holidays - The office will be closed these days:

 

For 2021 Harvest Season

  • Monday, September 6, 2021 - Labor Day Holiday
  • Thursday, November 11, 2021 - Veterans Day
  • Thursday & Friday, November 25-26, 2021 - Thanksgiving Holiday
  • Thursday & Friday, December 23-24, 2021 - Christmas Holiday
  • Thursday & Friday, December 30-31, 2021 - New Year's 
    (There will be additional times agents not available depending on ginseng certification needs in this time period.)
  • Monday, January 17, 2022 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday

Frequently Asked Questions for Dealers

 

Can I sell my Kentucky ginseng on an auction site, such as E-Bay?

 

Yes, but you first must be a licensed Kentucky dealer. Then, you will need to have an Export Certificate for each lot. Lots are built based on the Purchase Form information. The maximum number of lots per Purchase Form is 10; one for each line on the Purchase Form.

 

Upcoming Meetings

Please check back for information on future meetings.

Additional Links

KDA Video

The Kentucky Hemp Comeback

Kentucky farmers are exploring industrial hemp, a crop that connects Kentucky’s past to its future. Kentucky businesses are taking that raw material and turning it into products.