MycoRant

A vote by members of the California-based Mushroom Council has lead to a reapportioning of the membership to reflect geographic changes in mushroom production. A brief notice, Mushroom industry approves GAP changes to marketing order by Andy Nelson, appears at The Packer. You can tell a lot about where mushroom growing occurs in the U.S by looking at how the Mushroom Council’s Regions are set up (from http://www.mushroomcouncil.org/about/regions/, accessed 08/17/09) :

Region 1: includes Colorado, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Washington, Oregon, Florida, Illinois, Tennessee, Texas and Utah

Region 2: includes Pennsylvania

Region 3: includes California

Region 5: includes Importers

It doesn’t say so on the Council’s website, but all other states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico are in Region 4. A little more digging indicates that what was voted on was probably this (from Federal Register, http://0-edocket.access.gpo.gov.library.colby.edu/2007/07-1315.htm, accessed 08/17/09):

“…the Council’s recommendation to change the four United States geographic regions as follows: Region 1–the States of Colorado, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Washington, Oregon, Florida, Illinois, Tennessee, Texas and Utah; Region 2–the State of Pennsylvania; Region 3–the State of California; and Region 4–all other States including the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Also, the amendments will change the number of Council member representatives from one member to three members for Region 1 and from two members to zero members for Region 4. Representation for Region 2, Region 3, and importers remain unchanged at three members, two members, and one member, respectively. The overall impact of the amendments will be favorable for producers and importers because the producers and importers would have more equitable representation on the Council based on United States mushroom production volume and import volume.”

The Mushroom Council is authorized by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to administer national promotions, research and consumer information programs to develop the fresh mushroom market.

Interestingly, there is a notice at the Mushroom Council website stating “This web site is paid for by the Mushroom Promotion Research and Consumer Information Act of 1990. This act allows commercial producers of fresh mushrooms the right to orderly collect assessments on domestic and imported fresh mushrooms. These funds are then used for the purpose of strengthening the mushroom industry’s position in the marketplace, maintaining and expanding existing markets for mushrooms, and developing new markets and uses for fresh mushrooms.”

Tags: Mushroom Council, mushroom growing