The Downstream Impact of Federal Lending Changes on the East Asian Medicine Ecosystem

Federal lending changes don't stop at the school. When loan caps shrink enrollment, the whole field feels it. Fewer students means fewer schools. Fewer schools means fewer graduates. And down the line, that means less demand for the herbs, granules, needles, and education that keep our medicine alive.

So this final White Pine Circle discussion asks a hard question. How far downstream does the damage actually travel?

We're sitting down with manufacturers, distributors, herb companies, and needle suppliers for an honest conversation about what they're seeing right now. Slower clinic openings, shrinking inventory or consolidation pressure that puts small-batch sourcing, rare herbs, bilingual expertise, and hard-won lineage knowledge at real risk.

This is bigger than business. It's about whether our profession comes through this intact, or quietly loses its depth, its diversity, and its standards along the way.

Come understand the full picture with us, and let's talk about what we can still do together.

Panelists Include

• Andy Ellis (Spring Wind)
• John Scott (Golden Flower Herbs)
• Eric Brand