Protecting Mushroom Farmers Act

Key Points

• Congress is directing federal officials to study and create new insurance options specifically for mushroom farmers. Currently, many of these farmers lack the same government safety nets that corn or wheat farmers have when their crops fail.
• The plan would cover risks unique to mushrooms, such as specific pests like phorid flies, fungal diseases, and even power outages that ruin the climate-controlled environments where mushrooms grow.
• The research will also look at protecting 'growing media,' which is the special compost used to raise mushrooms. This material can be destroyed by heavy rainfall, leading to major financial losses for the farm before the mushrooms even start to grow.
• The proposal by Ms. Houlahan and Mr. Meuser aims to create a system with less paperwork that fits the fast growing cycle of mushrooms. Within two years, a report will be sent to Congress to decide how to officially launch these insurance policies.

Impact Analysis

Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.

News