Mushroom News

Browse past and current articles from this publication.

Are you paying tax on electricity?(energy alert!)
Mushroom producers and processors should not be paying Pennsylvania sales tax on electricity! Examine your electricity bills now! If you see a charge for "State Sales Tax", then you need to take act . . .

What is compost quality?(compost & raw materials)
Many scientists and growers have described their thoughts on mushroom composting through the years. We will describe our understanding of what goes into quality compost and how one may go about asse . . .

FDA announces Food Registry.(ami update)
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will implement its Reportable Food Registry (RFR) draft guidance for the food industry, developed in response to section 1005 of the Food and Drug Adminis . . .

Morgan Hill Mushroom Mardi Gras held in May.(industry news)
The Morgan Hill California Mushroom Mardi Gras celebrates mushrooms and raises funds for local charities during the Memorial Day weekend in May. Monterey Mushrooms, Inc. participates with an educati . . .

Mushrooms & Health Global Initiative.(mushroom council update)
The Mushrooms and Health Global Initiative is a collaborative project to support public relations efforts to increase the worldwide consumption of mushrooms and mushroom products through the collect . . .

2009 CAC scholarships awarded.(mushroom NEWS flash)
The CAC Scholarship Committee granted its annual senior awards in June. The high school students were selected for their academic achievement, community service and an essay about mushrooms. Front r . . .

Evaluating SMS for nutrient management of pumpkins.(mushroom biology)
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate spent mushroom substrate (SMS) at varying application rates and two different timings of application in a pumpkin crop. MATERIALS & METHODS . . .

Change of date for Medicinal Mushroom Conference.
The 5th International Medicinal Mushroom Conference (IMMC5) originally was scheduled from June 18 - 21, 2009 in the city of Nantong, the People's Republic of China. The organizing committee decided . . .

Upcoming events.(Conference news)(Calendar)
2009 September 5 - 8 5th International Medicinal Mushroom Conference Nantong, China * www.immc5.com September 20-22 51st Annual Mushroom Industry Conference Hartefeld National Golf Club, . . .

Education, cooperation & compliance.
Two training programs recently were offered to mushroom farms in Pennsylvania. AMI's MGAP Sessions A Great Success reveals that classes held in April were well attended and very effective. The Mushr . . .

Creating and managing a diverse workforce.
For several years, employers in various industries ranging from high tech to agriculture have known that they face a potential labor shortage. Not only do employers need to add hundreds of thousands . . .

Mushroom farm employees graduate from supervisor training course.(labor relations)
Employees at local mushroom farms recently graduated from a series of supervisor training classes and received certificates for their participation. Rafael Ramos, Director of the Ombudsman Program f . . .

La Comunidad Hispana & Kaolin Mushroom farms build language skills.(labor relations)
When Efrain Zavala Lara began working at Kaolin Mushroom Farms, Inc. in 1985, he had little time for school. "I have four kids," he recalls. "My wife had to work nights and I had to watch the kids." . . .

Field sanitation standards will be enforced.(labor relations)
The Wage and Hour Division (WHD) of the United States Department of Labor (DOL) is responsible for administering and enforcing federal laws that set basic labor standards. Field sanitation standards . . .

Marvelous mushrooms: as consumers focus on health & value. Mushrooms are becoming an all-important addition to the foodservice i
Mushrooms are indeed mushrooming in their mentions on restaurant menus. According to information from Food Beat 2008, a market research firm based in Wheaton, IL, as supplied by the San lose, Ca-bas . . .

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 . . .

A Year of recognition To-Jo mushrooms wins two awards.(general issue)
Four generations of D'Amicos have grown mushrooms in southeastern Pennsylvania, and each generation has built upon the previous. Joseph A. D'Amico started growing mushrooms in 1932 after purchasing . . .

Specialty Mushroom production evolves in Southern California.(general issue)
Golden Gourmet Mushrooms, Inc. (GGM) has been cultivating and introducing new species of mushrooms to North American consumers since 1987. GGM's original production facility consisted of a 60,000 sq . . .

Skyland USA develops green roof soil.(general issue)
Skyland USA LLC produces the only branded green roof media--rooflite[TM]--available nationwide for the green roof industry. Green roofs have been around for centuries in some European countries. The . . .

Situational growing.(Spore prints)
Awhile ago in Kennett Square, PA, I watched a game of my beleaguered Cubs once again getting out hit, out pitched and out coached. The commentators mentioned that the Cubs are clueless with respect . . .

Double cropping Agaricus bisporus.(current research projects)
Over the last two years, we have conducted several experiments to explore the effect of re-supplementing and re-casing mushroom compost for a second crop. These experiments involve removing the casi . . .

McPheron appointed new Dean of Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences.(Industry news)
Bruce A. McPheron will begin his new job as the dean of Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences on July 1, 2009. he succeeds Robert D. Steele, who is stepping down after 12 years to return ful . . .

Gildow named head of Penn State Plant Pathology Department.(Industry news)
Frederick Gildow, professor in Penn State's Department of Plant Pathology, recently was named head of the department. He succeeds Barbara Christ, who assumed the post of senior associate dean in the . . .

What to expect with personal technology.(personal computing)
"If you can look into the seeds of time, and say which grain will grow and which will not, speak then unto me." Shakespeare's words are just a wise today, but this hasn't stopped people from trying . . .

Science & Technology articles.
Mushroom News publishes a series of peer reviewed scientific articles entitled, "Science and Technology" which deals with all aspects of adaptive and basic research on edible mushrooms. Papers to be . . .

AMI offers cookbook for sale.
The AMI has updated and expanded the Mushroom Lovers' Cookbook. It contains recipes ranging from appetizers to low-calorie dishes to a new section dedicated solely to specialty mushrooms. Also inclu . . .

$10,000 Sinden Scholarship offered this year.
The Dr. James W. Sinden Scholarship Committee is pleased to announce the availability of its scholarship award. The Committee awards one or more scholarships to a graduate student or students conduc . . .

Upcoming events.(Calendar)
2009 May 3-6 20th NAMC Niagara Falls, Canada * canadianmushroom.com/namc June 10-12 Dutch Mushroom Days Brabanthalen, The Netherlands www.champignondagen.nl June 18-21 5th Internat . . .

Michael Pechart named PDA's deputy secretary.(mushroom NEWS flash)
Agriculture Secretary Dennis Wolff recently named Michael Pechart, his executive assistant and policy director, as the department's deputy secretary of marketing and economic development. Pechart wi . . .

USDA asks for comments.(mushroom NEWS flash)
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced in April that it is looking for comments on the proposed change to the Mushroom Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Order to reapportion . . .

Mushroom import report compiled from department of commerce trade data services Washington.(mushroom NEWS flash)
Mushroom Import Report Compiled from Department of Commerce Trade Data Services Washington, D.C.--Reporting Month January 2009 Jan 2009 2009 YTD Jan 2008 2008 YTD . . .

Challenges, outbreaks & registrations.(editor's note)
The Sanitation Alert encourages fresh mushroom packers and shippers to review sanitation practices with a special focus on control of Listeria in areas where product cross-contamination can occur. T . . .

Sanitation alert to all mushroom packers & shippers.(ami update)
All packers and shippers are advised to review their sanitation practices immediately with special focus on the control of Listeria in areas where product cross-contamination can occur. Take action . . .

Challenges facing mushroom disease control in the 21st century.(pest control)
Abstract: Disease outbreaks can severely reduce the yield and productivity of commercial mushroom production. Many mushroom pathogens are resistant to benzimidazole fungicides or are increasingly to . . .

Looking phorid.(pest control)
Last fall there was a very severe outbreak of phorid flies in the Kennett Square to Avondale, PA corridor. Almost overnight, several farms became infested. In a short time the flies caused crop loss . . .

An overview of pesticide registration.(pest control)
Pesticides are regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under two major federal statutes--the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and the Federal Food, Dru . . .

Diazinon update.
The U. S. EPA completed a review of diazinon in July 2002 and established the current use pattern at that time. It was at this time that the mushroom use was removed from the label. Diazinon 50 WP l . . .

IR-4 & EPA registration process.(pest control)
IR-4's food use program hit a registration record high in 2008. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) actions added specialty crop tolerances (MRLs) to 34 chemicals as of Oct.1 last year. These . . .

Science & technology articles.
Mushroom News publishes a series of peer reviewed scientific articles entitled, "Science and Technology" which deals with all aspects of adaptive and basic research on edible mushrooms. Papers to be . . .

AMI offers cookbook for sale.
The AMI has updated and expanded the Mushroom Lovers' Cookbook. It contains recipes ranging from appetizers to low-calorie dishes to a new section dedicated solely to specialty mushrooms. Also inclu . . .

Business program schedule set for the 20th NAMC.
Energetic speakers and relevant topics are set for the Business Promgram at the 20th North American Mushroom Conference (NAMC) in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, May 3-6 2009. The program features . . .

Business program schedule.
Sunday, May 3 - Evening * President's Reception & Expo opening Monday, May 4 - Morning * Phase II & III Technologies, A Global Perspective - Arpad Mutsy * Underground Drugs: Manufacture of B . . .

Meet your suppliers at the EXPO.
Confirmed Exhibitors: Acadian Peat Moss AEP Canada Inc. Amycel/Spawn Mate Best Cob LLC B.W. Cooney & Associates ChampFood Christiaens Group Constructiebedrijf Geraedts B.V. Dalsem . . .

Upcoming events.(mushroom NEWS flash)(Calendar)
2009 April 22 - 24 United Fresh Las Vegas, NV * www.unitedfreshshows.com/2009 May 3 - 6 20th NAMC Niagara Falls, Canada * canadianmushroom.com/name June 10-12 Dutch Mushroom Days B . . .

PA Senator Brubaker tours chester county farm.(mushroom NEWS flash)
PA Senator Mike Brubaker, Majority Chair of the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, toured Hy-Tech Mushroom Compost and Needham Mushroom Farm on March 6, 2009. The tour was arranged to acquaint . . .

Agriculture for a Democratic Workplace web site now available.(mushroom NEWS flash)
Agriculture for a Democratic Workplace (ADW) is a coalition of agricultural organizations organized to fight the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA)--commonly referred to as "card-check" legislation (se . . .

AMI Nominating Committee set.(mushroom NEWS flash)
The annual election for members of the AMI Board of Directors will be held by mail ballot in May. Please contact a member of the Nominating Committee if you are interested in serving on the Board. C . . .

Mushroom import report compiled from department of commerce trade data services Washington, D.C - reporting month December 2008.
DEC 2008 2008 YTD DEC 2007 2007 YTD KILOGRAMS KILOGRAMS KILOGRAMS KILOGRAMS Fresh, Agaricus 2,384,330 25,684,990 2,577,410 26,432 . . .

Issues that impact your business.(editor's note)
The Employee Free Choice Act, by Kam Quarles describes major provisions of the "Card-Check" legislation. The United Fresh Produce Association is opposed to the goals and objectives of the Act and is . . .

USCIS delays rule to verify Employment Eligibility.(AMI Alert)(U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services)(Brief article)
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently announced it has delayed the implementation of an interim final rule entitled "Documents Acceptable for Employment Eligibility Verification . . .