217 Today: US ginseng growers and animal breeders rely on exports to China. Now they wait on a trade deal.

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Will Hsu of Hsu's Ginseng Enterprises touches ginseng growing under a shade cloth Thursday, June 5, 2025, in Wausau, Wisconsin. Hsu said trade tensions between the U.S. and China have put most of his sales to Chinese processors on hold this year.
  • Photo: Angela Major / Wisconsin Public Radio

Monday, July 7, 2025

Today’s headlines: 

  • Several local roads will be temporarily closed this week.
  • Enrollment is down at half of the state’s universities. Eastern Illinois University has a strategy to fix that.
  • Some hotels in Illinois will no longer provide single-serve plastic personal care products, like shampoo bottles.
  • The annual Champaign County Freedom Celebration parade returned Friday with a new route and a later start time. 

In today’s deep dive, China is a major buyer of U.S. agricultural goods including specialty products that have few alternative markets. Some producers worry the on-and-off tariffs with the country could hurt America’s reputation as a reliable seller.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Orellana. Reporting today contributed by Emily Hays, Arjun Thakkar, Kaitlyn Devitt, Stephanie Mosqueda and Hope Kirwan.

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Stephanie Orellana