Awards

• Commended for Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards (Health) 2021

Overview

Full Product Details

9781603587488

Table of Contents

Reviews

This well-written and well-researched book provides fascinating and important insights into how herbal remedies make it into our homes. Ann Armbrecht's passion for the subject shines through as she takes readers on an illuminating journey through the highs and lows, the joys and challenges, the magic and hard commerce present in the herbal medicine trade. Reading almost like a travelogue, The Business of Botanicals chronicles her visits to farms, wild-collection sites, and factories around several continents, introducing some of the key characters and companies in the industry along the way. -Susan Curtis, director of Natural Health, Neal's Yard Remedies A vastly important and enlightening dive into the complexities of the botanical industry that is a must read for conscious consumers and industry professionals alike. Ann Armbrecht tackles the issues of sustainability, quality, livelihoods, and traditional knowledge with so much heart and honesty that you feel as if you've taken the journey with her. -Erin Smith, director of Herbal Science & Research, Banyan Botanicals; co-chair of the Sustainability Committee at the American Herbal Products Association Ann Armbrecht is a bright light in the complex business of botanical medicines. She is a pragmatic insider, not an armchair critic, but she also brings a strong sense of ethical wisdom to her book and her work as an advocate who does not dodge the hard questions. -Gary Paul Nabhan, author of Mesquite and Jesus for Farmers and Fishers Ann Armbrecht writes with deep respect for the essence of plants and their capacity to heal, seeking to reconcile the spirit of botanicals with the realm of brands and tradeshows. Armbrecht's reverence for nature and emotional honesty animates these pages and elevates this book above a by-the-numbers industry analysis. -Judith D. Schwartz, author of The Reindeer Chronicles and Water in Plain Sight The Business of Botanicals is a thoroughly engaging, must-read book for all herbalists, herbal medicine makers, herb growers, and anyone who turns to herbs for their health. I was immediately drawn into the story of botanical medicines and the complexities within each bottle of herbal tincture on store shelves. -Rosalee de la Foret, herbalist and author of Alchemy of Herbs, coauthor of Wild Remedies Ann Armbrecht brings us the fruits of a passion that drove her to explore the widest reaches of the world's herbal supply chains. She has looked under the bonnet and found that the engine of herbal healing is in need of repair. Even well-intentioned conflicts of interest in this industry too often get in the way of quality and sustainability. Along with key people she meets, Ann concludes that the answer here, as ever, is about nurturing relationships and supporting the interests of everyone in the herbal web. Everyone who loves herbs needs to read this book! -Simon Mills, herbal clinician and elder, author of Out of the Earth, coauthor of Principles and Practice of Phytotherapy This timely book explores the manifold issues facing the supply chain that feeds the US and European herb markets. A profound social reassessment is underway. Ann Armbrecht acknowledges the racist, imperialist roots of the international trade in botanicals and examines the impressive progress being made to transform this legacy of economic oppression. Based on care for the plants and the planet, the evolving supply chain acknowledges the ecology of issues beyond profit. Armbrecht introduces these holistic, ecological perspectives as a sign of great hope for the future and celebrates the rich diversity of people and backgrounds that make the planet's herbal abundance accessible to the West. -David Hoffmann, RH (AHG), fellow of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists, chief formulator for Traditional Medicinals The high-quality organic herbs in your teacup, tincture, or supplement did not materialize out of thin air. More than fifty years ago, the seeds of an industry were planted by a few unique and talented individuals-farmers, herbalists, and entrepreneurs who have dedicated their lives to improving planetary, human, and animal well-being. This well-researched and fascinating book tells their stories and lays out a clear path for a healthier sustainable future. -David Winston, RH (AHG), dean of David Winston's Center for Herbal Studies; founder of Herbal Therapeutics Research Library I read this brilliant book from cover to cover like a story I couldn't tear myself away from. Ann Armbrecht's writing flows almost poetically, even as she describes the business of herbs. Like herbs themselves, The Business of Botanicals is rich in colors, scents, and flavors and is rooted in the earth-exquisite and messy, beautiful and dirty all at the same time. Armbrecht takes us on a journey to many corners of the world to visit plant growers and collectors, as well as teachers and conservationists. In the true spirit of inquiry, her journey comes back to the heart, the organ of true perception. If the herbalism we practice is holistic because it considers the whole picture of a patient before formulating a prescription, and the whole plant we use is clearly more than the sum of its constituent parts, so too this book offers a truly holistic perspective. As Armbrecht says, her journey became the medicine these plants offer. . . . That is their promise. -Anne McIntyre, MAPA, MCPP, fellow of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists, author of Dispensing with Tradition and The Ayurveda Bible In The Business of Botanicals, Ann Armbrecht establishes herself as gifted storyteller, weaving the practical aspects of the global botanical industry with the lesser explored and more nuanced threads that make up the tapestry of sourcing, producing, and selling herbal products. From Ann's far-flung travels, the reader gains a rare vantage point of the inner workings of the global herb trade, as she explores the people and places that make the products lining our medicine cabinets possible. The result is a riveting journey, one that tackles hard questions not explored by most: How do we reconcile the roots of colonialism present in the modern herb trade with the benefits we seek to impart through our products? What must businesses do to protect the health of the people and planet supporting our supply chains, placing their needs equal to shareholder return? For those who loved Braiding Sweetgrass, this book is a perfect opportunity to go deeper into understanding the complex and co-evolutionary journey of plants and people in creating the herbal products we love. -Angela McElwee, president and CEO of Gaia Herbs In The Business of Botanicals, Ann Armbrecht brings readers along on a wholly engaging exploration of her questions and hard learnings about whether the healing power of plants can truly make it into the factory-sealed supplement bottles on our grocery shelves. Weaving her personal experiences with careful research about the history of medicinal herbs, Armbrecht explores the booming herbal supplements trade with courage and vulnerability; the journey from wild plant to industrial herb proves to be fraught and perilous. It's a valuable read and a good read, a rare find in this age of information. Armbrecht is clearly a person and writer who thinks and cares deeply, and she invites her readers to do the same, which is truly a gift. -Kate Williams, CEO of 1% for the Planet Foreword Reviews- An insightful, impassioned study of the herbal supplements industry and the challenges of producing its goods in a socially responsible way. . . . Representing hundreds of interviews with people at all levels of the supply chain, the book is a commanding plea that people engage in 'conscious capitalism.'

Author Information

Ann Armbrecht is the director of the Sustainable Herbs Program under the auspices of the American Botanical Council. She is also a writer and anthropologist (PhD, Harvard 1995) whose work explores the relationships between humans and the earth, most recently through her work with plants and plant medicine. She is the co-producer of the documentary Numen: The Nature of Plants and the author of the award-winning ethnographic memoir Thin Places: A Pilgrimage Home, based on her research in Nepal. She was a 2017 Fulbright-Nehru Scholar documenting the supply chain of medicinal plants in India. She lives with her family in central Vermont.

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available