Ginseng Board of Wisconsin Strategic Planning Process
The Ginseng Board of Wisconsin approached WIPPS to conduct strategic planning sessions to articulate and prioritize future goals and objectives. The Wisconsin ginseng industry went through a rocky patch in 2016-2017. Increased global supply caused the prices to bottom out, causing dramatic decreases in revenue. In addition, there was growing tension among Wisconsin producers around the value and role of cooperative arrangements ranging from labeling and marketing to processing and distribution. Producers also recognized important opportunities on the horizon including the potential for expanding markets, growing research around the health benefits of ginseng consumption, and a newly launched international ginseng festival. The WIPPS-led effort included internal dialogue processes designed to help producers find common ground around the future direction of the industry. The result was a new set of strategic priorities ranging from increased investment in research to adding lobbying support and beefing up international marketing to continuing commitment to the Wisconsin-based ginseng festival in 2018.