Expansion & innovation.(editor's note)

Are you interested in what other companies do to stay competitive? Learn about a mushroom farm that upgraded facilities, a food product supplier who received an award for value added products and a composting company with a new product line. Mushroom News looks for features on expansion and innovation. We invite you to share your company story with us.

Specialty Mushroom Production Evolves in Southern California by Steven Farrar describes the transition from the original Golden Gourmet Mushrooms production facility in San Marcos, CA to the new one completed in 2008. More than two miles of conveyors transport baskets of bottles from filling through the production process and back again. Mechanical and robotic harvesting guarantees that human hands do not touch some varieties. All mushrooms grown at the company are certified organic.

A Year of Recognition by Scott Christie examines To-Jo Foods new product, "On-The-Spot-Gourmet," a ready-to-eat and simple to use mushroom product. The value-added mushroom line took more than a year to develop. Four flavors were introduced in 2008 and they are marketed alongside fresh and other refrigerated mushroom products. Innovative packaging increases shelf life and won the Produce Marketing Association's 2008 Impact Award for Functionality/Technology. The history and sustainability initiatives of the company are also discussed.

Skyland USA Developes Green Roof Soil by Joe DiNorscia explains how Laurel Valley Soils got involved in green roof products. Skyland produces a branded green roof media, rooflite[TM], which incorporates mushroom compost/spent mushroom substrate into the mix. Types of green roof systems, design and plant options are outlined. Methods used to transport media to the top of buildings include cranes, conveyor belts or blower trucks. Storm water management and energy savings are the major drivers for the green roof movement.

Also this month, Ray Samp discusses "Situational Growing" in his Spore Prints column. He describes this phenomenon as using cultural techniques that are not appropriate for the prevailing circumstances. Daniel J. Royse outlines two studies, "Double Cropping Agaricus bisporus" and "Production of A. bisporus on minimally composted substrate" in Current Research Projects. The report explains the objectives of the projects, types of experiments undertaken so far and work planned for the future.

Industry News features biographies of Bruce A. McPheron, new Dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences, and Frederick Gildow, recently appointed to head the Plant Pathology Department at Penn State. "What to Expect with Personal Technology" is the topic of Personal Computing by Reid Goldsborough. He shares predictions about the future of email, explains cloud computing, says mobile devises will increase, and expects computers and televisions to converge.

Sara Manning. Mushroom News Editor

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