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[[File:The Mushroom Festival, Kennett Square, PA.gif|thumb|300px|right|The Mushroom Council helped get September declared National Mushroom Month; its origins can be traced to the Mushroom Festival in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, pictured here.]]
The '''Mushroom Council''' is a U.S. organization of fresh [[mushroom]] producers created and funded through a [[commodity checkoff program]].

==Purpose==
The Mushroom Council funds mushroom research and promotion programs through a levy on [[Fungiculture|mushroom producers]] and importers.<ref name=about>"[http://mushroomcouncil.org/about-the-mushroom-council About the Mushroom Council]", ''Mushroom Council'', official site, accessed November 19, 2014.</ref><ref name=usda>"[http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/FVResearchandPromotionMushrooms Mushroom Research and Promotion Plan] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903153509/http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/FVResearchandPromotionMushrooms |date=2014-09-03 }}", Research and Promotion Programs - [[Agricultural Marketing Service]], ''[[U.S. Department of Agriculture]]'', accessed November 19, 2014.</ref> The council uses the funds for programs such as public relations and advertising as well as communications through retail outlets and restaurants.<ref name=about/> The council's activities support its goals which include getting people to buy and use mushrooms as often as they do vegetables.<ref name=produce2/>

==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]].<ref name=usda/><ref name=produce>DiMartino, Christina. "[http://www.producenews.com/more-what-s-new/14188-mushroom-council-celebrates-mushroom-month-blendability-success Mushroom Council celebrates Mushroom Month, blendability success]", ''The Produce News'', October 7, 2014, accessed November 19, 2014.</ref> 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.<ref name=usda/> The delay in implementation was due to a comment period and a [[referendum]] among growers and importers to authorize the checkoff program.<ref name=usda/> 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.<ref name=usda/>

==National Mushroom Month==
The Mushroom Council played a role in getting the month of September declared National Mushroom Month.<ref name=about/><ref name=usda2>Jimenez, Sonia. "[http://blogs.usda.gov/2012/09/20/celebrating-all-things-mushroom-during-national-mushroom-month/ Celebrating all things mushroom during National Mushroom Month]", ''USDA Blog'', September 20, 2012, accessed November 19, 2014.</ref> The origins of National Mushroom Month can be traced to the [[Mushroom Festival]] in [[Kennett Square, Pennsylvania]], during the second week of September.<ref name=produce2>DiMartino, Christina. "[http://producenews.com/news-dep-menu/test-featured/8568-national-mushroom-month-kicks-off-with-media-outreach National Mushroom Month kicks off with media outreach]", ''The Produce News'', August 13, 2012, accessed November 19, 2014.</ref> Beginning in 1992 official proclamations from the [[U.S. Secretary of Agriculture]] and the [[Governor of Pennsylvania]] declared September as National Mushroom Month.<ref name=produce2/> The Mushroom Council supports National Mushroom Month through public and media outreach including social media and a website highlighting mushroom uses.<ref name=produce2/>

==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.<ref name=usda/> 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.<ref name=usda/> For calendar year 2014 the council's budget was $4.2 million.<ref name=usda/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Official website|http://mushroomcouncil.org/}}
*[http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELPRD3479025 Mushroom Promotion, Research & Consumer Information Act of 1990] 
*[http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELPRD3479024 Mushroom Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Order]

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[[Category:Commodity checkoff programs]]
[[Category:Fungi in cultivation]]