The 217 Today Podcast

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

Kimberly Schofield and Stephanie Orellana
 

Angela Major / Wisconsin Public Radio

Listen (Duration: 10:24)
Download

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.