Inside the growing U.S. mushroom industry

346 mushroom growers account for the $1.19 billion and growing mushroom industry in the United States.

Donald Simoni owns "Mushroom Adventures" where he grows the fungi on his farm in Marysville.

“Shitakes, oysters, creminis, portabellas, white buttons, and each of them has their own particular requirement," Simoni said.

Unlike fruits or vegetables, mushrooms are not grown using seeds. Mushrooms growth require a special compost made from chicken manure and saw dust. They are grown indoors and require controlled humidity and temperature.

Mushroom prices have held steady but sales have grown 13 percent nationwide over the last decade, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Simoni said the cost of waste products used in cultivating mushrooms have gone up as more companies look to recycled products.

As those prices rise so could the cost of mushrooms, but most people likely won't notice the difference, Simoni said.

“And so one might argue that, that’s seems like a high end commodity," Simoni said.

Since mushrooms aren't typically a main course, most people only buy a quarter of a pound at a time, he said.

http://www.abc10.com/news/local/inside-the-growing-us-mushroom-industry/367731260

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