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

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.