Emily Johnson
The United States is home to a thriving mushroom farming industry, with a rich history dating back to the 1890s. While 23 states produce mushrooms, Pennsylvania stands out as the leader in mushroom production, contributing a significant 44% of the country's mushrooms. Within Pennsylvania, Kennett Square has earned the title of Mushroom Capital of the World, housing the largest concentration of mushroom farms in the nation. This small town, along with the surrounding area, plays a crucial role in supplying fresh mushrooms across the United States, with Phillips Mushroom Farms being the largest producer.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of mushroom farms in the US | Unknown, but there are 68 in Pennsylvania, 61 of which are in Chester County |
| Largest concentration of mushroom farms in the US | Southeastern Pennsylvania, with nearly 8,600 employees |
| Largest producer of mushrooms in the US | Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, producing over 35 million pounds of mushrooms each year |
| US mushroom farm employees | Over 21,000 |
| US mushroom farm compensation | $864 million |
| US mushroom farm contribution to the economy | $3.3 billion |
| US states that produce mushrooms | 23, with Pennsylvania producing 44% and California producing 17% |
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What You'll Learn
Kennett Square, PA: the mushroom capital
Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, is widely known as the "Mushroom Capital of the World." This small borough in Chester County, Pennsylvania, is home to numerous mushroom farms, producing over 500 million pounds of mushrooms annually, which accounts for about half of the nation's mushroom crop production.
The story of Kennett Square's mushroom industry began in the late 19th century when local florists, including William Swayne, sought to utilise the wasted space under their carnation beds. Swayne imported spawn from Europe and constructed the area's first mushroom house. Soon after, in 1896, several commercial farmers followed suit, branching out into mushroom cultivation. This marked the beginning of a booming industry, with Italian migrants, who were familiar with foraging wild mushrooms, taking up mushroom farming in large numbers.
Today, Kennett Square and the surrounding area produce more than 60% of the mushrooms grown in the United States. The industry employs almost 10,000 people, many from the local Hispanic community. The landscape is dotted with mushroom "barns," "houses," and "doubles," where the mushrooms are carefully cultivated. The process of mushroom farming involves creating compost from various ingredients, including hay, cocoa shells, and manure. This compost is then spread on growing racks, pasteurised, and planted with spawn before being topped with peat moss, limestone, and water. After several weeks, the mushrooms are ready for hand-harvesting, and the process begins anew.
The success of Kennett Square's mushroom industry can be attributed to the collaborative efforts of the local community, including Quakers, Italians, and Mexicans, who shared knowledge and supported each other in the unique endeavour of fungus farming. The region's annual Mushroom Festival celebrates this heritage, with parades, mushroom farm tours, and various festivities. Despite challenges such as rising costs and housing pressures, Kennett Square remains an integral part of America's mushroom industry, supplying fresh mushrooms to tables across the nation.
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PA mushroom farms: economic impact
Pennsylvania is the largest producer of mushrooms in the United States, with Kennett Square in Chester County being dubbed the "Mushroom Capital of the World". Over 500 million pounds of mushrooms are produced in Chester County every year, with the region accounting for 44% of the country's mushroom production. The industry directly employs almost 10,000 workers, largely from the area's Hispanic community.
The history of mushroom farming in Pennsylvania dates back to the 1880s or 1890s when a florist in Kennett Square, William Swayne, began growing mushrooms under the benches of his greenhouses. Swayne travelled to Europe to buy spores and soon turned his business into a commercial success. Inspired by his success, labourers hired by Swayne began farming mushrooms themselves, and generations later, their descendants continue the tradition.
Today, more than 60% of all mushrooms produced in the U.S. are grown in Kennett Square and its surrounding areas, including Berks County and parts of northeastern Maryland. The largest mushroom farm in the country, Phillips Mushroom Farms, is located in Kennett Square and produces over 35 million pounds of mushrooms annually. The company grows a wide variety of mushrooms, from white buttons to oysters to shiitakes, to match national demand.
The economic impact of the mushroom industry is significant in Pennsylvania. In 2020, the Agaricus mushroom volume of sales in the state totalled 796 million pounds, with Pennsylvania accounting for 66% of the total volume of sales. The value of the Agaricus crop was estimated at $1 billion, and the specialty mushroom sales added another $87 million. According to a 2017 economic study, the Pennsylvania mushroom industry has a footprint of $764 million, creating substantial economic impacts through the Commonwealth. The sales of mushrooms and the inputs required for their production, such as spawn, casing, and compost, bring money into the state and support local businesses and jobs.
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History of mushroom farming in PA
The history of mushroom farming in Pennsylvania dates back to the late 1800s, when a florist in Kennett Square named William Swayne began growing mushrooms under the benches in his greenhouse. Swayne's operation became a commercial success, and by 1896, mushroom farming had become a popular trend in the region, with many farmers trying their hand at it. The industry was bolstered by the thousands of Italian families who migrated to the area and were used to foraging wild mushrooms. Today, Pennsylvania is the lifeblood of American mushroom production, with Kennett Square being dubbed the \"Mushroom Capital of the World\".
In the early days, nearby horse farms and racetracks supplied manure for compost, which was mixed with spores and covered with peat moss. The spores would germinate and create a thick web of white threads called mycelia, from which the mushrooms would eventually grow. This process remains largely the same today, although compost is now typically started with hay instead of manure.
As the industry grew, mushroom farmers in Kennett Square, many of whom were of Italian descent, would often gather at the Kennett Square Inn or Sam's Sub Shop on State Street to share ideas and learn from each other. This sense of community and collaboration was key to their success, as they had little outside knowledge to rely on.
Today, mushroom farming is a year-round operation, with four to six crops produced annually. The industry is a major economic driver in Pennsylvania, supporting thousands of jobs and infusing billions of dollars into the local economy. Phillips Mushroom Farms in Kennett Square is the largest mushroom producer in the United States, growing over 35 million pounds of mushrooms each year.
However, the industry also faces challenges, such as rising costs and housing shortages for workers, which have made mushroom farming more expensive and forced some smaller farms out of business. Despite these challenges, Pennsylvania's mushroom industry continues to thrive and expand, with investments of over $115 million projected in the near future, further solidifying the state's role as the leader in American mushroom production.
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Suburbanization pressures in Chester County
Chester County, Pennsylvania, is colloquially referred to as Chesco and is located in the Delaware Valley region in the southeastern part of the state. The county has a population of over 500,000 people and is home to many communities that comprise the Philadelphia Main Line western suburbs of Philadelphia. The county's seat, West Chester, is located twenty-five miles from Philadelphia and has historically been the commercial and residential centre of the county. However, in the mid-twentieth century, the pressures of suburbanization caused West Chester to lose its dominance in these areas. The growth of the surrounding county led to a need for more employees and offices than West Chester could accommodate. The expansion of the county government created tension over limited space in the small county seat, and the increasing importance of automobiles over public transportation further hurt the borough. The population of the surrounding county exploded as farmland was rapidly converted into suburban tracts, a process accelerated by the expansion of West Chester Pike into a four-lane highway.
The changing landscape of retail and the fast-paced suburbanization of the surrounding rural county contributed to a loss of businesses in West Chester and a decline in the borough's population in the 1970s. The construction of Interstate 95 isolated the poorest sections of the nearby city of Chester from the surrounding area, and as affluent residents were drawn to the suburbs, Chester's population began to decline. Today, Chester's population is half of its peak, and the city struggles with rampant unemployment and high crime rates.
The county's history is closely tied to its location between Philadelphia and the Susquehanna River. The first "road to the West" passed through central Chester County, and the first railroad in the state followed a similar route. Easy transportation allowed workers to commute to urban jobs, and the rise of the suburbs followed. Industry tended to concentrate along the rail lines.
Chester County is also known for its mushroom farming, which is the leading agricultural business in the region. Kennett Square, located within Chester County, is the largest producer of fresh mushrooms in the United States, supplying over 40% of the country's mushrooms. The industry employs almost 10,000 workers, many from the area's large Hispanic community, who were attracted to the county by the expanding mushroom industry.
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Pesticide registration issues in PA
Pennsylvania is the lifeblood of American mushroom production, with Kennett Square in Chester County being the largest producer of fresh mushrooms in the United States. The industry directly employs almost 10,000 workers, mostly from the area's large Hispanic community.
The sale and use of pesticides in Pennsylvania must comply with both state and federal law. All pesticide uses in the United States are subject to regulation under the Federal Insecticide Fungicide Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). All pesticides must be either federally registered under FIFRA or permitted under an "emergency exemption" as outlined in Section 18 of FIFRA. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reviews and accepts or denies federal registration of pesticide uses.
The Pennsylvania Pesticide Control Act of 1973 does not provide an exemption for "minimum-risk pesticides," and therefore, these must be registered with the state. To register a pesticide in Pennsylvania, the following must be submitted:
- The market label of the pesticide (must be in line with the EPA master label or compliant with 25b or FIFRA exemption)
- Efficacy data to prove the claims made on the pesticide label
The registration fee is $250 per pesticide product, and all pesticide registrations are valid for up to one calendar year, expiring on December 31.
Pesticide dealers must keep a record of each distribution of a restricted-use pesticide, including the customer's name and address, the brand name of the pesticide, and the EPA registration number. This record must be completed within 24 hours of distribution and maintained for at least three years.
Additionally, prior notification is required for the application of a restricted-use pesticide, and placards must be displayed with specific information, including the brand name and EPA registration number of the pesticide.
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Frequently asked questions
There are 68 mushroom farms in Pennsylvania, with 61 of them in Chester County. Kennett Square, a town in Pennsylvania, is sometimes called the "Mushroom Capital of the World" as it is home to the largest concentration of mushroom farms in the country.
Pennsylvania has the highest number of mushroom farms in the United States, with nearly half of the country's mushrooms coming from this state.
Pennsylvania is the largest producer of mushrooms in the United States, with California being the second-largest producer.
