Mushroom Council plans for 2008.

The Mushroom Council met in Washington D.C. on September 13, 2007 and recommended an increased investment in the marketing effort due to the forecast of future mushroom supply growth. Key elements of the proposed 2008 marketing effort are a partnership with Weight Watchers to activate the recent report by Johns Hopkins University about mushrooms and weight loss. The reach of this particular partnership will also be expanded beyond usual consumer public relations channels to include the Internet and another partner in foodservice, Applebee's. Cooking Light, the top healthy cooking magazine in the United States, will also be a promotional partner. These new programs and more will be added thanks to an increase in the assessment rate, recommended to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), to $.005 per pound tentatively to be in effect January 1, 2008.

At subsequent regional meetings in Kennett Square, PA on September 19 and Morgan Hill, CA on September 20, Council staff and agency representatives presented elements of the Council's above recommended marketing program. About 50 people showed up at the Italian American Club in Kennett Square thanks to the efforts of local Council representatives Jim Angelucci, Paul Frederic and Carla McKinney, while nearly 50 percent of all California farms and Council Chair Curtis Jurgensmeyer from Oklahoma attended the Morgan Hill meeting.

Reaction by growers was generally supportive, with calls for better measurement of value/success and strong support for the integrated Weight Watchers program in particular. There was also considerable discussion of the need for more than just industry wide demand development. While voicing ongoing support for this program, it was also suggested that it is the interaction of demand AND supply that impacts a grower's business. There also seemed to be interest in the Mushroom Council supporting the industry's effort to implement national adoption of and adherence to a standard of Good Agricultural Practices.

On September 28, the Mushroom Council again convened, via Web conference call to finalize a budget for 2008 based on industry input at the aforementioned regional meetings. A budget was unanimously approved. Now the job of contracting and implementing can get underway. Anyone interested in helping with the execution of the Council's foodservice, retail, consumer public relations or nutrition research and communications programs, feel free to let us know at the Council office or contact your local Council representative.

The photographs on the follow page were taken at the Kennett Square regional meeting of the Mushroom Council In September.

1) Dave and Jennifer Santucci, Elite Mushroom Co. with Bart Minor

2) Susan Peters, Edelman, Public Relations Agency for the Council and Artie Needham, Needham Mushroom Farms

3) Carla Blackwell McKinney, C.J. Mushroom Co. and Council Representative with Fred Recchiutti, Basciani Foods and Dr. John Stanton, Mushroom Council consultant

4) Donna Garrett and Gary Schroeder, Oakshire Mushroom Farm and Rafael Ramos

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