>> Governor Walker says the impact of Foxconn's investment
will be felt across the state.
There's already some evidence of that happening.
During last week's signing ceremony in Milwaukee,
Foxconn Chairman Terry Gou also signed a memorandum of
understanding with the state's ginseng growers and received an
honorary gift of ginseng roots.
Joining us from Wausau to talk about this relationship
is Bob Kaldunski, a grower of ginseng
and the president of the Ginseng Board of Wisconsin.
Thanks for your time today.
>> You're welcome.
>> At the event Chairman Gou said he and his family had been
using Wisconsin ginseng for decades.
Other than the personal connection,
why would a high tech company like Foxconn get involved
in the production of an ancient herbal remedy like ginseng?
>> Caught us off guard a little bit, too,
why they were interested.
Terry, as you mentioned, he's very passionate
about the Wisconsin ginseng.
I think what he wants to do--
his first wife has passed from cancer.
And he himself has put forth over half a billion dollars,
they said, just for cancer research.
He values the Wisconsin ginseng product as something pure
and wholesome and healthy.
And his goal is to market this across the country,
value added-wise.
He just feels there's value there.
And that it is a product that would fit in part of their
health and bio-science division.
>> Would this create access to new markets for Wisconsin
growers or increase prices or increase production?
>> Potentially, yes.
What they're looking at, from my understanding
with the communication that we have talking with them,
is they're looking at value-added products.
Reaching that millennial out there, that marketplace.
That consumer now, we hear quite often,
that millennial is wanting...
the Wisconsin ginseng might be a little bitter.
They want a little sweetness with it.
So maybe they're putting honey or something like that
to offset the bitterness.
And what they're looking at doing with their technologies,
making that value-added product more appealing.
And with their distribution that they have,
with their electronics, would be a natural fit for them to go
into the health market or value-added product,
convenience product.
>> A lot of Wisconsin ginseng already goes overseas
to places especially in Asia.
Do you expect that to increase or do you think there's a
growing the market in the United States as a possibility as well?
>> I expect both.
The export market will probably increase.
There's a couple things behind that.
Some of that is the China government.
Their new laws on residue levels in products.
Our product falls into in the pharmaceutical grade so that the
Chinese government or pharmaceutical companies
are looking for a product.
The other thing in this country, we'll also I believe have
the potential for the value-added product.
The convenience, as your parents, our parents,
went to the grocery store, bought chunks of cheese,
bought things in balk.
That's changing.
Now shredded cheese, sliced cheese.
Same thing with ginseng.
The market now is wanting chips.
They're wanting slices, kind of convenience things.
So yes, it definitely will increase market.
>> Just under a minute left,
do you expect to increase the size of your farm?
Have you spoken to other farmers that think this will mean
a difference for them?
>> Everybody's excited about it.
It's very rare for a company to come seek us.
We spend a lot of money, a lot of time overseas in the Asia
countries, looking and prospecting customer, companies.
And for a company to come to us and wanting to invest
in our industry is pretty special.
And will I increase?
Probably not.
As our industry is, our industry is older.
We are, like most agriculture, we are all
five to 10 years from retirement.
We hope as it does bring excitement
and it brings the younger generation into the market.
It's too early to tell yet.
We don't have the communication.
We haven't had a dialogue on where, what they want to do,
but it potentially could, yes.
>> Bob Kaldunski from Wausau, thanks for your time today.
>> Thank you very much.