Medicinal and Aromatic Plants—Future Opportunities

During the past 30 years, medicinal and aromatic plants in the United States have moved from essentially unknown, minor agricultural plants into crops that many farmers consider producing as an alternative to usual plantings of food and feed crops. The attraction of medicinal and aromatic plants as worthy farm crops has grown due to the demand created by consumer interest in these plants for culinary, medicinal, and other anthropogenic applications. As racial diversity in the US has expanded, immigrants from countries in which herbs and herbal medicines are commonly used to flavor foods and treat illnesses have introduced other Americans to a diverse range of plant materials. Indeed, market trend surveys indicate that mainstream American consumers will purchase 75% of the ethnic foods during the next decade (Packaged Facts 2004a). Farmers growing medicinal and aromatic plants, similar to farmers in other agricultural systems, begin each growing season with hopes for success in producing a crop that brought to market will more than repay the expense of production. Yet, in addition to traditional cropping uncertainties of weather, pests, and other limitations, the medicinal and aromatic plant farmer also faces changes in consumer interest, international trade policies, and other issues that control demand. For these reasons, an understanding of future opportunities in the medicinal and aromatic plant industry (WHO 2003) is necessary to enable US growers to envision and invest in medicinal and aromatic crops that will meet market demands.