The Mushroom Festival, Kennett Square, PA

The Mushroom Council is a U.S. organization of fresh

mushroom A mushroom or toadstool is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground, on soil, or on its food source. ''Toadstool'' generally denotes one poisonous to humans. The standard for the name "mushroom" is t ...

producers created and funded through a

commodity checkoff program In the United States, a commodity checkoff program promotes and provides research and information for a particular agricultural commodity without reference to specific producers or brands. It collects funds through a checkoff mechanism that is ...

Purpose

The Mushroom Council funds mushroom research and promotion programs through a levy on mushroom producers and importers.About the Mushroom Council
, ''Mushroom Council'', official site, accessed November 19, 2014.Mushroom Research and Promotion Plan
", Research and Promotion Programs -

Agricultural Marketing Service The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture; it maintains programs in five commodity areas: cotton and tobacco; dairy; fruit and vegetable; livestock and seed; and poultry. These programs ...

, ''

U.S. Department of Agriculture The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the federal executive department responsible for developing and executing federal laws related to farming, forestry, rural economic development, and food. It aims to meet the needs of com ...

'', accessed November 19, 2014. The council uses the funds for programs such as public relations and advertising as well as communications through retail outlets and restaurants. The council's activities support its goals which include getting people to buy and use mushrooms as often as they do vegetables.

History

The Mushroom Council was created as part of the Mushroom Promotion, Research & Consumer Information Act of 1990 which was signed into law on November 28, 1990, by President

George H. W. Bush George Herbert Walker BushSince around 2000, he has been usually called George H. W. Bush, Bush Senior, Bush 41 or Bush the Elder to distinguish him from his eldest son, George W. Bush, who served as the 43rd president from 2001 to 2009; pr ...

.DiMartino, Christina.
Mushroom Council celebrates Mushroom Month, blendability success
, ''The Produce News'', October 7, 2014, accessed November 19, 2014. The Mushroom Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Order, part of the act that created the Mushroom Council, did not actually take effect until January 8, 1993. The delay in implementation was due to a comment period and a

referendum A referendum (plural: referendums or less commonly referenda) is a direct vote by the electorate on a proposal, law, or political issue. This is in contrast to an issue being voted on by a representative. This may result in the adoption of a ...

among growers and importers to authorize the checkoff program. Another referendum on whether or not to continue the program was held in 1998. About 70 percent of producers and importers cast a ballot in the referendum and continuing the mushroom checkoff program was approved by 80 percent.

National Mushroom Month

The Mushroom Council played a role in getting the month of September declared National Mushroom Month.Jimenez, Sonia.
Celebrating all things mushroom during National Mushroom Month
, ''USDA Blog'', September 20, 2012, accessed November 19, 2014. The origins of National Mushroom Month can be traced to the Mushroom Festival in

Kennett Square, Pennsylvania Kennett Square is a borough in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is known as the Mushroom Capital of the World because mushroom farming in the region produces over 500 million pounds of mushrooms a year, totaling half of the United ...

, during the second week of September.DiMartino, Christina.
National Mushroom Month kicks off with media outreach
, ''The Produce News'', August 13, 2012, accessed November 19, 2014. Beginning in 1992 official proclamations from the

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture The United States secretary of agriculture is the head of the United States Department of Agriculture. The position carries similar responsibilities to those of agriculture ministers in other governments. The department includes several organi ...

and the

Governor of Pennsylvania A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

declared September as National Mushroom Month. The Mushroom Council supports National Mushroom Month through public and media outreach including social media and a website highlighting mushroom uses.

Funding

The council is funded through an assessment on all mushroom producers and importers who average over 500,000 pounds of the crop per year. Mushroom producers in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia are assessed a $.005 per pound fee, those producing or importing less than 500,000 pounds of mushrooms are exempted from the fee. For calendar year 2014 the council's budget was $4.2 million.

References

External links

*
Mushroom Promotion, Research & Consumer Information Act of 1990

Mushroom Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Order
{{Authority control Commodity checkoff programs Fungi in cultivation