Michigan Announces New Wild-Foraged Mushroom Harvesting Certification Program

For immediate release: March 25, 2015

Media contacts: Chris Wright, 248-957-8881; chris@midwestmycology.org or Jennifer Holton, 517-284-5724, holtonj@michigan.gov

Wild mushrooms, like morels and chanterelles, help define the forests of Michigan and provide potential income streams for foragers, farmers, restaurateurs and food entrepreneurs. But improperly identified, these foods can also pose serious health risks.

Michigan’s Food Code requires that mushroom species picked in the wild must be obtained from sources where each mushroom is individually inspected and found to be safe by an approved mushroom identification expert. Working closely with the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD), a curriculum to train and certify foragers who commercially harvest and sell wild mushrooms in Michigan has been developed by Midwest American Mycology Information (MAMI), the Institute for Sustainable Living, Art & Natural Design (ISLAND), and the Michigan Farmers Market Association (MIFMA).  

The program is designed to bring mushroom sellers in line with the regulations, but is also available for anyone who may be responsible for the purchase of mushrooms to be consumed by the general public or sold at retail.

“Although the requirement for becoming an approved mushroom identification expert has been part of the Michigan Food Law for several years, our state has seen huge growth in both the demand for local products, including wild-foraged mushrooms, and the number of people interested in getting into mushroom harvesting and sales,” said Kevin Besey, MDARD Food and Dairy Division director. “The new certification program will help provide proper training and approval, while assuring public health with regard to the identification, sale, purchase, preparation and service of wild-foraged mushrooms.”

ISLAND, MIFMA and MAMI, through a Food Safety Education Fund grant administered by MDARD, will hold training and certification programs throughout the state, just in time for morel season. The full-day training sessions will focus on the biology and morphological characteristics used in the identification of mushrooms, and include hands-on work with specimens, direct interaction with mycologists, and a written exam at the end of the day. A test score of 80 percent or higher is required to receive a certification as an approved mushroom identification expert, and the certification is valid for five years.

Cost for the training, which includes lunch, is $175 per person for those who wish to be certified. Farmers, farmers market managers, chefs, restaurant owners, purchasing agents for grocers, and others who may have interest in attending a workshop but not necessarily in obtaining certification, may attend for the reduced rate of $85. Registration is available online at www.midwestmycology.org. Registration for each session closes at midnight on the Sunday prior to the training session.

Training dates and locations:

Saturday, April 18, 2015, 9 am – 5 pm Constitution Hall 525 W. Allegan Street, Lansing

Saturday, April 25, 2015, 9 am – 5 pm Northwest Michigan Horticulture Research Center, 6686 S. Center Highway, Traverse City

Saturday, May 2, 2015, 9 am – 5 pm Marquette Food Co-op, 502 W. Washington Street, Marquette

Michigan mushroom foragers are excited about the development of a program that will pave the way for them to legally harvest and broker wild foraged mushrooms. Jim Moses and his wife, Linda Grigg, foragers from Maple City, with more than five decades of mushrooming experience are pleased to see Michigan offer the new training program. "We are thankful for the partnership with MDARD to help provide an open, accessible program to approve foragers to sell wild mushrooms," said Jim Moses.

For more information, contact Chris Wright from Midwest American Mycological Information, at chris@midwestmycology.org, or visit www.midwestmycology.org.

###  

Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/MIDeptofAgriculture Follow us on Twitter: @MichDeptofAg Subscribe to our Youtube Channel: youtube.com/MIAgriculture