Pennsylvania U.S. Senators John Fetterman and Bob Casey, along with a bipartisan group of colleagues in the House, introduced the Protecting Mushroom Farmers Act requiring the US Department of Agriculture to conduct a study on providing crop insurance for mushroom farmers. The study would analyze the effects of threats to production, such as inclement weather and pests uniquely harmful to mushrooms, in addition to farmers’ ability to grow mushrooms and maintain profitability.
Fetterman said: “The Farm Bill needs to work better for specialty crop producers. We have a successful crop insurance system for commodity crops, but it’s time we open crop insurance to more farmers. It’s just common sense that mushroom farmers need to be covered under relevant crop insurance regulations. Mushrooms are one of Pennsylvania’s most storied and critical crops, and the hardworking farmers in this industry deserve that coverage.”
Pennsylvania produces more mushrooms than any state in the country, with over half of US mushroom production taking place in Chester County. The mushroom industry is a strong economic driver for Pennsylvania and the country, with its total economic footprint exceeding $1.1 billion and supporting over 8,500 jobs.
Source: dailylocal.com