volume 26, issue 1 is switchgrass march 2015 · 3/10/2019 · ryan koeslag brings experienced...

MushroomWorld

Volume 26, Issue 1March 2015

Is Switchgrass a Substitute for Wheat Straw?

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features

Mushroom World. Volume 26, Issue 1 1.

Officers & Directors

Mushroom WorldOfficial Publication of the Canadian Mushroom Growers’ Association

Volume 26, Issue 1 March 2015

departments

Murray GoodPresident

Lawrence Zimmermann1st Vice President

George Graham2nd Vice President

Frank MosconePast President

DirectorsJohn KristalynBurton LovedayBrian ManionAg MarsoniaGlenn MartinMike MedeirosBrian PeetersLorenzo PiccioniClay TaylorDuke TranTerry Uppal

Executive Vice PresidentWilliam Stevens

Editorial StaffWilliam StevensEditor-in-Chief

Shannon BryanLayout/Design

Debbie CarrollEditor

Mushroom World is published quarterly by the Canadian Mushroom Growers’ Association, 660 Speedvale Avenue West, Suite 302, Guelph, ON, N1K 1E5. (Tel: 519-829-4125)

Annual Subscription Rate C$125 (+$16.25 HST) per year for non-members, included in dues for members. Advertising rates available on request.

03 Switchgrass as a Substitute for Wheat Straw by William Stevens Ph.D. Mushrooms Canada

07 Switchgrass Supply Contract Template

08 Ready, Set, Grow! Telling Is Not Training by Bill Barber, Giorgi Mushroom Company

10 An Introduction to the Mushroom Industry in Israel by Tommy Gruenwald, Vice President, Marina Group

14 23rd NAMC Photos

16 Spent Mushroom Compost- What makes it saline? by Homa Hemmati, La Trobe University, Victoria, Australia

18 Farm Held Responsible; Could this Happen to You?

20 Mushroom Imports & Exports: 2014

20 Safe Operating Procedures on Mushroom Farms in Canada

22 The World Market for Mushrooms

23 AGM Information & Registration

02 President’s Message Murray Good

02 Ryan Koeslag Introduction

25 Advertisers

As the winter comes to a crushing cold end, we find ourselves looking forward to April showers and May flowers. In regards to starting anew we will be saying our thank you’s and goodbyes to Stevens Associates for fifteen great years of managing of Mushrooms Canada. We have seen many changes to the Association in that time. When it comes to running an organization like

this, it is no different from running our own companies. We look for leadership, competence, trust, enthusiasm, commitment and loyalty. All these and more. Bill and his team have done it with professionalism and true grace and some fits and giggles along the way. Some of the milestones achieved over those years are a full name change of the association to a full-on marketing and social media program. Launching Mushrooms Canada into the twenty-first century of customer communication. The endless grant applications and dollars brought in for research and marketing. Managing all the NAMC’s with a sane approach. Face it, organizing mushroom growers is like herding cats!!! This was all done with respect and professionalism. So, that said, the annual general meet-ing cannot be missed. We will be showing our gratitude

and thanks for their service. While Debbie is retiring, Bill will be staying on as a consultant to make the succession a smooth one. We will also be welcoming Ryan Koeslag, the new Executive Vice-President of Mushrooms Canada. Ryan will be at the AGM to meet all members. Ryan will be starting March 1, 2015. Bill and Ryan plan to visit farms across Canada to allow the members to meet and get to know the new leadership. Good time to bring any issues within the industry to light. The registration form for the AGM is inside; fill it out with as many company employees as you can. Let’s make this one the best attended AGM in history!!

The results of the switchgrass trials are one of the articles inside. This article looks at replacing wheat straw with switchgrass in the mushroom substrate preparation process. With the poor wheat crop of 2015 and the late and wet fall, this is a timely research project. Usually there is close to one million acres of wheat planted and harvested in Ontario a year. The number of acres planted for fall of 2014 is close to 65% of that. The way it sounds the rest of the country is facing the same shortages.

Quote of the quarter: Life is what we make it. Always has been, always will be! Grandma Moses.

Trivia of the quarter: The speed of a sneeze is over 320 km/hr. Also a good food safety tip! :0

Question of the quarter: Where does the sky start??

President’s Message

2. Mushroom World. Volume 26, Issue 1

Murray Good, President, Mushrooms Canada

Executive Vice-President Mushrooms Canada/CMGA: Meet Ryan Koeslag

The Board of Directors of Mushrooms Canada/CMGA has retained Mr. Ryan Koeslag to become the Executive Vice-President of Mushrooms Canada/CMGA beginning March 1, 2015. Mr. Koeslag will manage Mushrooms Canada through a contract with Koeslag Consulting. The Koeslag contract will overlap the Stevens' contract for two months for orientation and smooth transition. Ryan grew up on a dairy farm and presently owns a cash crop farm north of Guelph. He has a Diploma in Agriculture from the OAC, University of Guelph and a B.Sc. in Agriculture from Olds College, Alberta. He started as a Commodity Officer, CFIA Ottawa, 2004-2005, then moved to Guelph as the Research Program Coordinator at the Agricultural Adaptation Council 2005-2009. Since 2009, he has been the Executive Director, Agri-Food Management Institute in Guelph. His professional development includes courses in Human Resources and Responsibilities, Project Management, Benchmarking and Value Chains, Dealing with Difficult People, Effective Persuasion and

Guerilla Grammar. He has attended the International Farm Management Congress in Warsaw, Poland and the World Business Forum in New York City.

Ryan Koeslag brings experienced skills in leadership, strategic thinking, presentation, innovative thinking plus business and financial management. He will be attending the Mushroom Growing Workshop in late March, and the Mushrooms Canada AGM on April 20. Please welcome Ryan to the Canadian mushroom industry.

Hypothesis: The replacement of wheat straw with up to 40% switchgrass does not impact the schedule of crop cycles or volume and quality of mushrooms harvested. These field trials were designed to verify or disprove this hypothesis.

Introduction: Mushroom growers in Ontario have encountered the perfect storm regarding raw materials for the production of mushroom growing medium, known as mushroom substrate. The standard raw materials are wheat straw, poultry litter, horse stable bedding, gypsum and water. Since 2012, wheat straw has become scarce because wheat fields are being converted to corn and soybeans for maximum value per acre; plus modern wheat varieties have shorter straw. Broiler chicken and turkey growers have determined that poultry litter is more valuable as a crop fertilizer than as a mushroom substrate component. And stable-bedding is in short supply because the horse-racing industry is in decline. Therefore, identifying substitutes for these ingredients has become a high priority for mushroom growers.

It is estimated that mushroom growers in Ontario use approximately 130,000 tonnes of wheat straw per year. Ontario normally plants about one million acres of winter wheat, the main straw source, but wet weather last fall cut that to about 800,000 acres. Then, an extremely harsh winter killed off more of the crop, cutting the acre-age available for straw to about 600,000 acres.

For maximum mushroom production, mushroom substrate must contain a source of carbon [wheat straw, hay and stable bedding], a source of nitrogen [poultry litter and stable bedding] in appropriate proportions. The ingredients are blended with water to promote microbial digestion and heat generation to pasteurize the compost and release elements to nourish mushroom mycelia.

One candidate as an alternative for wheat straw is switchgrass. The impact of proportions of switchgrass on mushroom productivity has not been determined. One aspect of this study was to understand the variables of switchgrass as an ingredient in mushroom compost.

Switchgrass [Panicum virgatum L.] is a native perennial warm season grass. In Ontario, switchgrass produces most of its biomass in the warm summer months of June through August. Maximum production is attained during the third growing season. Once established and properly maintained, a switchgrass stand will remain productive

for an indefinite period. Experience has shown in Ontario that if switchgrass stands are subject to winter injury or heaving, they can commonly recover in the subsequent growing season. Once fully established in Ontario, switchgrass can typically produce 8-12 tonnes/ha [3.2 - 4.9 t / acre] of harvestable dry matter by fall. Leaving the crop in the field over winter will cause some reduction in harvestable yields.

Supply Contracts: Once the merits of switchgrass have been determined, the mushroom growers and switchgrass producers wish to develop a business model for long-term supply contracts that reward the switchgrass growers at a competitive income per acre and assure the mushroom growers a predictable price.

Field Trials: In order to establish some guidelines for the inclusion of switchgrass in mushroom substrate as a replacement for wheat straw, a series of trials were conducted during the fall of 2014 at the farm of a coop-erating mushroom grower in Ontario. The essential features of the cooperating farm were that it started a new batch of substrate each week and that each batch of substrate could be followed to specific growing rooms.

The treatment batches included 15%, 30% and 40% switchgrass. Each treatment was repeated a second time. Each treatment batch/crop was matched with a control batch/crop of 100% wheat straw before and/or after the treatment batch/crop.


Switchgrass as a Substitute for Wheat Straw in Mushroom Substrate

by William Stevens Ph.D. Mushrooms Canada

Switchgrass is harvested [swathed] in the fall and baled immediately [fall baled] or left in the windrow over winter and baled in the spring [spring baled]. The major differences between fall and spring baled switchgrass are listed in Table 1

Table 1. Parameters of Fall and Spring baled Switchgrass*

*Source: Agrifood Laboratories, Guelph Ontario.

Also, the length of the switchgrass straw can be set at long [24 in.] or short [12 in.].

Photo: Windrow of blend of wheat straw and Switchgrass

For each treatment and control batch of substrate, the following parameters were recorded:

• Batch number and date• Weights of wheat straw and switchgrass• Fall or Spring harvest of switchgrass. For this study, 5 of the 6 treatments used fall-harvested switchgrass.• Switchgrass straw length: Short vs. Long. In this study, it was observed that Long straw clogged the pre-wet machine. That was not confirmed by other

growers who have incorporated switchgrass at low levels.• Phase 1, number of days on the wharf. • Quantities of Poultry litter, Gypsum and Urea• Total yield of mushrooms harvested over 3 breaks.• Mushroom quality judgement

Observations: There were six (6) treatment batches/crops and seven (7) control batches/crops. The first step in analysing the data was to establish a stan-dard range of production for the seven control batches-/crops. The average measurements of the control crops are reported as 100% with the range of the control crops recorded as a percentage above or below the average. For example, for 100% wheat straw crops, the range of pounds of mushrooms produced was 82% to 120% of the average.

The second step was to compare each treatment crop with the standard of the control crops. Actual pounds of mushrooms produced, compared to the control was:• 15% Switchgrass: 92% (range 91.5% - 93%)• 30% Switchgrass. 98% (range 97.1 - 98.3%)• 40% Switchgrass. 106% (range 91.0% - 120%)

As for mushroom quality, the grower reported no distinguishable difference between control crops and switchgrass crops.

+30%

Control Average

+10%

+20%

-10%

-30%

-20%

Control 7 Crops

15% SG2 Crops

30% SG2 Crops

40% SG2 Crops

Switchgrass Trials 2014Chart #1: Volume of Mushrooms Harvested from 15%, 30% and 40% Switchgrass Substrate compared to 100% Wheat Straw Crops.

Conclusion: The production of all Switchgrass crops fell within the normal range of Wheat Straw crops.

Fall 2012 Spring 2010 Dry matter % 88.37 99.31 Moisture % 11.63 6.99 Fibre - Acid Detergent % 38.48 59.61 - Neutral Detergent % 56.71 81.9 - Lignin % 6.69 17.66 Non Fibre Carbohydrates % 19.58 5.86


Other analyses that were recorded were Nitrogen, Ash and pH for the Cookout, Spawn and Fill phases of compost.

Conclusions: Based on the observations that the volume of mushrooms produced from all switchgrass crops fell within the normal range of production from 100% wheat straw crops, it is concluded that the replacement of up to 40% of the wheat straw with switchgrass does not impact the schedule of crop cycles or volume and quality of mushrooms harvested.

Credits: Appreciation is expressed to Hank Vander Pol and Jeremy Buitenhuis of Rol-Land Farms Mushrooms Inc for the use of their facilities and records to conduct this study.

This project was funded in part through Growing Forward 2 (GF2), a federal-provincial-territorial initiative. The Agricultural Adaptation Council assists in the delivery of GF2 in Ontario.

PREMIUM BLEND

A collaborative effort by The Culinary Institute of America, the University of California at Davis and the Mushroom Council found that both health and flavor concerns can be addressed by the blending of chopped mushrooms together with ground meat. Not only does this mashup yield a food product that is tastier, juicier and more nutritious than traditional ground meat items

like hamburgers, meat balls and meatloaf, but it adds volume as well, proponents say. At the same time, blending helps to reduce the amount of sodium, fat and calories in a menu item. Today, an increasing number of commercial and non-commercial operators are embracing the blending process, with many more expected to join the ranks this year.

Food trends to watch in 2015

Table 2. Other parameters of Switchgrass batches/crops [% of control standard]

Treatment 15% Switchgrass 30% Switchgrass 40% Switchgrass NH3 [cookout] 95% [74% - 116%] 94% [83% - 103%] 98% [69% - 127%] Total Nitrogen [fill] 92% 98% [94% - 102%] 105% [103% - 106%] Organic Dry Matter [fill] 105% 99% [97% - 101%] 104% [104% - 105%] Organic Carbon [fill] 101% [98% - 105%] 99% [97% - 100%] 104% [104% - 105%] C/N [fill] 111% [106% - 116%] 102% [96% - 107%] 100% [100% - 101%]


Switchgrass Growers and Mushroom Substrate Producers

Supply Contract [Template]

1. Duration of the contract: Default: Ten (10) years from date of seeding the switchgrass field. Minimum 5 years.

2. Switchgrass supplier: a) Local grower (single source) b) Biomass Producers (BP) Co-op. (multiple sources) c) Mushrooms Canada contract with BP Co-op for annual volume, delivered to many mushroom farms. Estimated yield per acre/ hectare: ___________ tons/tonnes

3. Basis of purchase: a) Switchgrass standing in the field (harvested by mushroom grower) ____ b) Switchgrass in the field in windrows (fall cutting) ____ (baled by mushroom grower) ____ c) Switchgrass in field, baled by grower: - Fall baled ____ - Spring baled ____ -Transported by mushroom grower ____ d) Switchgrass baled [Fall ____ or Spring ____] and delivered to mushroom grower by switchgrass grower ____ - Moisture content of bales [specified range %] - Bale size [specify 3'x3', 3'x4', 4'x4', other]

4. Basis of purchase: a) Number of acres ____ b) Number of tonnes ____

5. Specify straw length: a) Long (≈ 24 inches) ____ b) Short (≈ 12 inches) ____

6. Guarantees & Penalties: 1. Failure to deliver quantity contracted [switchgrass grower] 2. Failure to accept delivery [mushroom grower] 3. Quality 4. Contaminants: Molds, other

Sample Contract



Telling Is Not Training

How many times have you heard the following?“I told him what to do. Why didn’t he do it right?”How many times have you said it?

The cause of this common supervisor frustration is the assumption that telling is training. It is not. Telling just begins the numerous steps in the training process. This process always cycles the trainer back to the telling phase to start training over again, repeating the cycle endlessly. After all, when have you ever seen a coach stop coaching? With a two-touchdown lead they are coaching with 20 seconds to go! And they coach every day between games. With everything on the line on game day why would they do otherwise?

Well, everything on your farm is on the line every day! Are you coaching every day? What are the steps in a good coaching or training program?

Telling, certainly, is the first step. You explain a process or review the steps in a task, like watering a room, especially if it is the first training session. This is followed by a demonstration. Take the water hose in your hand and show the employee how to apply water with the correct arc and area coverage. You don’t know how to do this yourself? Then you better learn before you tell.

When your demonstration is complete the employee should perform the task under your supervision followed by an immediate evaluation. Use praise if the task is done properly or another explanation and demonstration if not. Tell the employee everything done correctly, as well as what needs improvement, but emphasize the former. Repeat the training until you are satisfied with how the task is performed. Keep in mind, however, that prolonged training sessions frustrate employees. Most employees will want to please you and will feel they have failed when subjected to a lengthy session of performance error corrections. Sometimes it is better to give an employee a chance to work alone for half an hour, if safety is not an issue, then return and evaluate performance.

These steps, however, are not the end of the training cycle even if the employee quickly becomes proficient. Auditing comes next and is a daily task for any good

supervisor. The training cycle is incomplete without it. Coaches do not sit in the locker room when their players are on the field; they audit performance during practice and on game day. An audit leads to either reinforcing praise if the task is performed well or a return to the beginning with the telling/explanation phase if the performance is lacking. (See dashed red arrows in the diagram.) The value of praise as reinforcement for good perfor-mance increases if you mention specifically what you saw the employee doing well, such as maintaining the correct pressure while watering a bed. This trumps simply saying “good job,” because you are cycling back to the telling phase; you are reminding the employee of what you said on the first training day. In other words, use well thought out praise whenever possible to retrain an employee. (See dotted blue and black arrows in the diagram.)

Furthermore, Psychology 101 teaches us that praise is most effective when used intermittently. If the employee you trained is performing the task well every day, you will get more bang for your praise buck if you vary when you use praise rather than use it every day. Vary, as well, what you say. For more information on this concept see: http://www.outofthefog.net/CommonNonBehaviors/ IntermittentReinforcement.html

Ready, Set, Grow! Telling Is Not Training

by Bill Barber, Giorgi Mushroom Company


Employees drift away from optimal performance. Coaches deal with performance drift all the time. Why does Derek Jeter need a fielding coach or why did Hank Aaron need a batting coach? Why do those of you who are scratch golfers (or wish you were) need swing instruction from a pro every now and then? The answer is drift. Even the best golfer, the best hitter, the best waterman will drift from well-trained skills and will need a nudge back in line. If you are a good supervisor it will be just that, a nudge, because you will have caught the drift early. But drift there will be and it has nothing to do with your employee’s dedication. Everyone drifts.

Drifts that are prolonged create bad habits, especially if the employee sees you watching and you say nothing more than “good morning.” By failing to address poor performance when you see it, you tacitly reinforce the bad habit. If the poor performance is prolonged, turning it around can be a monumental task and increase employee discontent. The employee will complain that “I have been watering this way for six months and no one said a word.” I’m on the employee’s side on this one. Catch drift early.

All of your employees should have periodic retraining. Retraining employees with outstanding performance is not wasted time. Coaches emphasize and reemphasize fundamentals with their worst and their best players. Take a page out of their coaching manuals and bring your training full circle. Repeat at least the telling phase in a formal training session once or twice a year. Use praise to retrain: “All of you are watering with correct pressure and without sealing beds. You are doing this because you are maintaining the proper arc. Production and qual-ity are very good. Thanks.”

You will have brought training full circle using reinforce-ment once again to tell or explain just as you did when praising good performance after an audit. More impor-tantly, everyone will know that training is never done. If doubts remain, use the sports analogy to strengthen the need for continuous training in the minds of your employ-ees. I do.

A final suggestion: Coach the team you have, not the one you wish you had.

Original Source: Mushroom News, February 2015


To fully grasp the mushroom industry in Israel and its expansive growth over the last twenty five years, it is necessary to have a little understanding of Israel as a country, its geography, politics and history. Israel is a long, narrow country spanning 550 km from North to South and 16 km at the narrowest point from West to East. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea, Egypt,

Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.When one considers the physical location of the country it is apparent that the potential for export does exist but due to the hostility between Israel and its neighbours, the only option is to service small markets in Cyprus, Greece and Turkey.

With this in mind it is clear that the local market has been the key to the expansion of the industry. There are 13 producers of mushrooms in Israel with a combined growing area of 70, 000 m2.

This generates a total production of around 13,500 tons per annum, of which more than half is produced on phase 3 compost at a yield of 29-32kg per m2. Phase 1 compost is used to produce the balance at a yield of 24-26kg per m2. The mushroom industry in Israel began about 40 years ago on a very small scale but has seen a

dramatic upward turn in the last 25 years while governmental investment subsidies and funding plays a large roll in stimulating the sector. Evidence of this increase in production can be seen in the graph below which shows consistent growth over the years.

The growing method employed in Israel is based predominantly on Dutch technology. There are currently 13 producers in Israel with the trend moving towards large scale operations.

• Two sites in Israel have modern phase 1 bunkers. • The first tunnels started operating in Israel in 2000.• It is the only functioning tunnel company, and is the only phase 3 production facility in Israel.• “Marina Mushrooms”, owns this facility where 850 tons of phase 3 compost can be produced each week. The phase 1 compost is produced on the same site and transferred from the bunkers directly to the tunnels via conveyor. The phase 3 compost is used only for the “Marina Group”.• During the filling of the growing rooms, the compost is simultaneously covered by imported casing soil.• All the “Marina” farms have shelving of identical bed widths so one type of filling machine can service all the growing rooms.• During the filling of the growing rooms, tunnels are emptied as quickly as possible. This is an absolute must, especially in the summer, when temperatures reach 40 degrees Celsius.

Israel consists of a population of 8.2 million people, of whom the majority immigrated to Israel in the past 50 years. These immigrants came from all over the globe, and brought with them their own cultural identity and eating habits.

An Introduction to the Mushroom Industry in Israel

by Tommy Gruenwald, Vice President, Marina Group presented at SAMFA Conference in May 2014Adapted for print by Nathan Jones, Highveld Mushrooms

Mushroom World. Volume 26, Issue 110.

One of the main reasons for the increase in consumption per capita and the resultant demand for mushrooms is the large number Russian Jews, who returned to Israel after Mikhail Gorbachev opened the Russian borders.

These people were accustomed to hunting for and eating wild mushrooms in Russia. Israel’s lack of wild fungi left an unsatisfied appetite for mushrooms and thus opened a door for rapid expansion.

In order to accommodate the increased demand, invest-ment was necessary but this in turn had an effect. As more people were exposed to mushrooms, so the demand increased and called for further development.

Together with this event, global health and fitness trends and an escalation from “nothing to everything” in terms of television cooking shows and contests, the market for mushrooms has expanded to the point that importation of mushrooms from Europe takes place just to fill customer requirements.

Campaigns promoting the use of mushrooms have also been very successful in raising awareness. Within the Marina group, the integration of complimentary and niche products for mushroom customers has been a means of diversification and reducing risk. Marketing a “Double Pack” where customers receive a discounted

price for buying more has also been very successful and is now our flagship product.

Despite a robust local market the mushroom industry still faces some difficult challenges. The climate in Israel is harsh and with extremely hot conditions, periods of drought are inevitable. This places strain on the straw supply and while, in general, local straw is used, shortages leave us having to look at importing straw from Europe. Cooling equipment operates at full capacity making maintenance difficult which in turn leads to breakdowns.

As mentioned earlier, the lack of an export market poses a real barrier to growth in the industry and while huge potential exists outside our borders, it is not a realistic opportunity.

There is also no canning or pickling industry in Israel which means fresh mushrooms are the only product available to the market.

One other consideration that must be taken into account is that Israel is a Jewish country and as such, the food industry is subject to Jewish religious regulations. Foods must be Kosher and compliant with relevant laws and traditions.

Original Source: The Spawn Run, December 2014


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t h e p o w e r o f c o m b i n e d e x p e r i e n c e

Growing rooms, Meadow Mushrooms - New Zealand

Latest developments in recycling waste materials have led to a renewed interest in using Spent Mushroom Compost (SMC) as a plant fertilizer. Since mushroom cultivation has become more commercialised over the past few decades, SMC, the by-product of mushroom production, is finding a use in the horticultural sector. However, large-scale re-usage of SMC is currently hindered by its salt content. Determining the type of cations and their origins would be beneficial for the mushroom and agriculture\horticulture industries. A number of studies have described the potential role of SMC as plant fertilizer and the general conclusions of these studies are promising, were it not for the salt.

Recently, researchers have shown an increased interest in determining different characteristics of SMC and a considerable amount of literature has been published in this area. Research to date has tended to focus on the salinity of the final SMC rather than the source of the salt content. This highlights the need for further investigation into the origin of the salt.

In my honours work at La Trobe University, I have used SMC (the end product) and worked to identify the source of the salt, and furthermore the nature of this salt. The electrical conductivity (EC) of my starting material was 7 ms/cm, which was the mean of SMC samples from three mushroom farms in Victoria. Figure 1 shows piles of such SMC being stored temporarily in a field. In order to discover the source of the salt, I subsequently measured the salt content of the original compost.

Figure 1: Spent Mushroom Compost

Mushroom CompostMushroom compost consists of four main raw materials: wheat straw, chicken manure, gypsum and water. It is produced in three phases. In order to find out if the salinity increases during this process, EC was measured during the three composting phases. The results showed that the high level of EC in SMC originates from the raw material itself, and not from the process it under-goes during composting.

Raw IngredientsThe next step was to determine which of the raw materials contributes to the high EC. To investigate this, the EC of compost yard water and the extracts from wheat straw, chicken manure and gypsum were measured. Figure 2 shows there was a significant difference in EC between the extracts of different raw materials (ANOVA p <0.001). The chicken manure was found to have three times the EC level of the next largest contributor (12.5 ms/cm for chicken manure compared to 4.7 ms/cm for wheat straw). This means that chicken manure is the major source of salinity, however the other materials also contributed to the overall EC.

Figure 2: Average EC measurements of extracts from 20 g of main raw materials of compost from the ScatoPlus compost yard in 100 mL water (Error bars correspond to 95% confidence intervals, n=7)

Spent Mushroom Compost - What makes it saline?

by Homa Hemmati, La Trobe University, Victoria, Australia


Elemental Analysis of Raw IngredientsIn order to identify what elements contribute to the high EC, the raw materials were analysed for total and extractable K+, Na+ and Ca2+.

Figure 3 shows that the concentration of K+ and Ca2+ were higher than Na+ in SMC samples and the extract-able K+ and Na+ were higher than Ca2+ in both the raw materials and the SMC samples (ANOVA p < 0. 001).

Figure 3: The concentration of total and extractable K+, Na+ and Ca2+ for the main raw materials and the SMC from different mushroom farms (Error bars correspond to 95% confidence intervals, n=3)

In addition it can be seen that chicken manure is the origin of the bulk of cations rather than wheat straw and that gypsum contributes relatively large amount of Ca2+. These findings confirm further strong evidence from the literature that, K+ is indeed present in large quantities and readily extracted from SMC. It is uncertain to what degree the non-extractable cations would become avail-able\soluble over time.

In summary the current study has found that chicken manure contributes the bulk of the salts to SMC and that potassium salts are the main contributors. Potassium is an essential plant nutrient and more work needs to be done on the EC of SMC, to increase the re-use of this valuable resource.

AcknowledgementMany thanks to my supervisors and mentors Dr Mike Angove, Dr Sabine Wilkens and Dr Bruce Johnson (from La Trobe University), Greg Seymour and Sheri Le Feuvre from the Australian Mushroom Growing Association, Kul Ratnayake, ScatoPlus compost yard, Bulla Mushrooms, Parwan Mushrooms and The Mushroom Place, Dr Gordon Ragers (Marsh Lawson Mushroom Research Unit) and my husband Mohammad.

Original Source: AMGA Journal, Spring 2014

AbstractThe effects of beef substitution with crimini or white mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) on the flavor profiles of carne asada and beef taco blends were measured with a descriptive analysis panel. Sensory mitigation of sodium reduction through the incorporation of mushrooms was also investigated in the taco blends. The substitution of beef with mushrooms in the carne asada did not alter the overall flavor strength of the dish, but the incorporation of 50% or 80% ground mushroom in the beef taco blend did enhance its overall flavor as well as mushroom, veggie, onion, garlic and earthy flavors, and umami and sweet tastes. Overall flavor intensity of the 25% reduced-salt version of the 80% mushroom taco blend matched that of the full-salt versions of the 100% and 50% beef formulations, thus indicating that the substitu-tion of 80% of the meat with mushrooms did mitigate the 25% sodium reduction in terms of the overall flavor impact of the dish, even if it did not quite compensate for the reduction in salty taste. This proof-of-concept study

for the Healthy Flavors Research Initiative indicates that because of their flavor-enhancing umami principles, mushrooms can be used as a healthy substitute for meat and a mitigating agent for sodium reduction in meat-based dishes without loss of overall flavor.

Practical ApplicationIn some meat-based dishes, meat can be substituted with mushrooms without compromising the flavor of the dishes while also improving their nutritional quality by reducing the amount of sodium, calories, saturated fat, and cholesterol in them. This is because of the presence of unique and so-called “umami” flavor- enhancing -compounds in mushrooms. This study provides the basis for the preparation of healthier alternatives to tradi-tional meat-based dishes through sodium reduction and substitution of meat with mushrooms without loss of overall flavor intensity.

Original Source: Journal of Food Science, August 2014


Flavor-Enhancing Properties of Mushrooms in Meat-Based Dishes

In an unfortunate incident last year a front-end loader operated by a farm worker struck and killed an onsite construction worker. The farm, not the construction worker’s employer, was fined $140,000.

“A lot of people have told me they were surprised that the farm was held responsible,” says Dean Anderson, agriculture program manager with Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS). “But the victim was in the farm workplace, not the construction workplace. Many people don’t realize that business owners, including farm operators, are responsible for everyone in their work-place: contractors, visitors, family members…”

WSPS consultant Alison Beer takes this a step further: “What are you doing to ensure this doesn’t happen to any of your people or to your business?” Beer provides business owners and managers with solutions, both as a consultant and as an instructor of two WSPS half-day courses: Hiring Outside Contractors and Managing Safety of On-Site Contractors. Here is a sampling of Beer’s suggestions.

•Understand your responsibilities. Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, employ-ers have overall responsibility for the safety of “persons” in the workplace. If your operation doesn’t fall under the act, you can still be held liable.

•Create a policy and procedures for site visitors. For example: • ensure visitors have proper personal protective equipment • always accompany visitors (if appropriate) • put up signage and barriers indicating staff- only areas

• Ensure any subcontractor working onsite com-mits to following your policies and procedures or has equivalent procedures that meet your standards.

• Ensure everyone onsite is qualified. Pre-qualify contractors. Make sure they have a WSIB certificate and their workers have the qualifications to do the work required. Monitor their work while they’re there, and make sure they follow all rules.

• Treat anyone you’re paying to work for you as one of your own employees. What you do for your

own employees (e.g., orientation training, hazard-specif-ic training, PPE), also do for contractors’ employees. Or at least ensure they are equally protected.

• Make sure all workers, subcontracted or other-wise, are aware of the hazards in the workplace.

• Hold tailgate safety meetings at the beginning of every shift, especially if the nature of work being performed and who’s on site change from day to day.

How WSPS can help youThese hands-on half-day courses, often offered as a full-day package, are held in various locations: • Hiring Outside Contractors • Managing Safety of On-Site Contractors.

WSPS consultants can also help you develop a construction contractor, maintenance contractor and visitor safety program. Find out more by visiting www.wsps.ca or contacting WSPS Customer Care, 1-877-494-WSPS (9777).

Article courtesy of Workplace Safety & Prevention Services

Farm held responsible for death of subcontractor’s employee

Could this happen to you?


Safe Operating Procedures on Mushroom Farms in Canada

In 2014, 5.35 million Kg. (11.8 million lb) of fresh/chilled agaricus mushrooms were imported from the U.S. This is a decrease of approximately 1 million Kg from 2013. The price averaged $3.21, a 9 cent increase from the previous year.

Non-agaricus fresh imports from the U.S. increased to 477,878 Kg (122% of 2013) with an average value of $7.60 per Kg.

Imports of all mushrooms from the U.S. totalled 8.82 million Kg, with a value of $29.95 million. Statistics Canada reports imports of all mushroom varieties, in all categories, from all countries at 24.7 million Kg with a value of $69 million. Canned imports from China account for 10.3 million Kg ($18 million) of this total.

The volume of exports of fresh/chilled agaricus remained steady in 2014, at 30.6 million kg (67.3 million lb.) The price per kg increased $0.46 Cdn from 2013, averaging $4.18 ($1.90 per lb), with a total value of $128 million. (112% of 2013). Comparative data from U.S. Bureau of Census shows $0.20 US per Kg increase in value.

Information from both Statistics Canada and the U.S. Bureau of Census show a decrease in non-agaricus exports from Canada (978,849 Kg vs 411,910 Kg in 2014) but an increase in value of the fresh NESOI exports from $3.6 million Cdn to $4.5 million in 2014.

Original Data Source: Statistics Canada

Mushroom Imports & Exports : 2014




Prevention Guidelines ....

Hazards & Prevention Guidelines during Mushroom Substrate ProductionRisks ....

Of worker injuries by vehicles [Trucks & Heavy Equipment]

• Driver training & procedures • Seatbelt training • Safety boots, proper footwear • Authorized heavy equipment operators • Reflective clothing, high visibility vests on all workers • Lights on equipment • Back-up spotter visible to driver • Back-up beepers on trucks and equipment • Designated laneways • Restricted work-zones, restricted entry [notify supervisor] • Off-limits to pedestrians • Maintenance of mobile equipment

Of worker injuries by substrate dumped from trucks, fork-lifts, bucket-loaders, skidders, scissor-lifts

• Authorized drivers & machinery operators • Machine guards, Lock-out / Tag-out • Off-limits to pedestrians

Of worker injuries during inclement weather [snow, rain, steam, mist, fog]

• Reflective clothing, high visibility vests on all workers • Designated laneways, restricted work-zones • Off-limits to pedestrians • Lighting • Safety boots, proper footwear

Frostbite Prevention • Limit time outdoors • Several Layers of clothing • Mittens rather than gloves • Hats that cover the ears • Keep moving

Of worker injuries during heat stress • Hydrate • Cool-down breaks during heat

Of worker injuries during cleaning of equipment

• Worker training & procedures • WHMIS training of proper storage & disposal of chemicals • Machine guards, Lock-out / Tag-out

Of worker injuries due to falls from heights

• Safety harness, guardrails, fall arrests training • Worker training & procedures

Of worker injuries due to slips, trips and falls

• Housekeeping, minimize debris on wharf and around bunkers and tunnels • Workers wear ribbed-sole work-boots • No running • Install Caution/Wet signs • Safety awareness training • Restricted work areas during washing

Of worker's hearing injured due to noise

• PPE, hearing protection • Tests for occupational exposure limits

Of workers suffering skin & respiratory injury, allergies

• Worker training, WHMIS procedures • PPE, respirators • Gas monitoring equipment, ventilation fans • Signage & Lock-out • Individual medical testing • Dust control procedures

Of worker injuries due to exposure to toxic gases and chemicals

• Gas monitoring equipment • Worker training, WHMIS, procedures • Licensed to handle chemicals • PPE, respirators • Signage & Lock-out • Individual medical testing

Of workers injuries due to electrical shock

• Worker training & procedures • Machine guards, Lock-out / Tag-out • Maintenance of Equipment


The world market for mushrooms until 2019 could reach more than $50 million

Revised Process for Issuing Public Warnings for Food Recalls

Often grouped as vegetables, mushrooms are a rich source of nutrients such as vitamins, selenium, and potassium. They are fat-free, cholesterol-free, and are very low in sodium and gluten content. The market for mushrooms is projected to grow significantly in most regions of the world in the next five years. The mushroom market, in terms of value, is projected to reach $50,034.12 million by 2019, at a CAGR of 9.5% from 2014. The growth of the mushroom market is primarily triggered by factors such as a rise in the consumption of processed food and growing awareness about health and wellness. Also, R&D and innovations to enhance applicability and continuously improving technologies to increase their shelf-life are projected to drive this market.

This report has estimated the size of the market for mushroom in terms of value ($million). In this report, the market has broadly been segmented on the basis of types, applications, and regions. Market drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges; and raw material and product price trends have been discussed in detail. Share of participants in the overall market have been discussed in detail. The market has grown significantly in the last few years and this growth is projected to continue.

Original Source: Expert Interviews and MarketsandMarkets Analysiswww.mushroomindustry-directory.com

Mushroom Market Share (Value), by Region, 2013

Effective immediately, the CFIA has revised the process for reviewing and issuing a public warning.

• Under certain circumstances, the CFIA will share a draft public warning with the implicated company before CFIA has confirmed a food recall with a public warning is needed.• The affected company will be asked to review the draft public warning for accuracy with respect to the product description, distribution and company name, and to provide confirmation within two hours.

Contact Mushrooms Canada for more detail.

MUSHROOMS CANADA (CMGA)ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2015

Registration Fee: $56.50 (incl. $6.50 HST) (notify of Dietary Requests)

For hotel accommodation, please contact International Plaza Hotel – Toronto Airport directly: (416) 244-1711

Please come and participate in your Association’s Annual Meeting – and socialize with other growers and suppliers. All members are welcome!

The schedule of events is as follows:

5:00pm - 6:00pm

6:00pm - 7:30pm

7:30pm - 8:00pm

8:00pm - 9:00pm

Exhibits & Reception (Host Bar)

Banquet

Annual Meeting

To register, please complete the registration form and return with payment, by April 13, 2015 to:

Mushrooms Canada660 Speedvale Avenue WestSuite #302Guelph, ON, N1K 1E5

AAFC ReportFrom Farm Gate to Centre of the Plate According to Bill Stevens

Monday April 20, 2015 International Plaza Hotel 655 Dixon Rd., Toronto, Ontario

Company Name:

People Attending:

Total Attendees: x $56.50 = Total Enclosed: $

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AdvertisersComing Events

The Canadian Mushroom Growers’ Association appreciates the support of advertisers and Associate Members. We encourage Business Members to support these businesses whenever possible.

2015

2016

March 17 & 18 South African Mushroom Farmers’ Association(SAMFA) ConferenceGauteng (Johannesburg/Pretoria area)www.samfa.co.za

April 20 Mushrooms Canada / CMGA Annual General MeetingToronto, Ontario

August 24 - 278th International Medicinal MushroomConference (IMMC8)Manizales, Colombiawww.immc8.com

May 29 - June 219th International Society for MushroomScience (ISMS) CongressMuziekgebouw,Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Agrisco Supplies Corp .......................... 9www.agriscosupplies.com

Amycel/SpawnMate ............................. outside back coverwww.amycelspawnmate.com

Christiaens Group ............................... 15www.christiaensgroup.com

Dalsem Mushroom Products BV ........ 15www.dalsemmushroom.nl

Double T Equipment Ltd. ..................... 6www.dte.ca

HUB International Ontario Limited ........ 19www.hubontario.com

L.F. Lambert Spawn Co. Inc. ............... 12-13www.lambertspawn.com

Sylvan America Inc. .............................. inside front coverwww.sylvaninc.com

Techmark ........................................... 24www.techmark-inc.com

Unicorn, Inc. ....................................... 19www.unicornbags.com

Vullings Systemen B.V. ......................... 22www.vullings-horst.nl

/mushroomscanada@mushroomscanada/mushroomscanada/cdnmushroom

volume 26, issue 1 is switchgrass march 2015 · 3/10/2019 · ryan koeslag brings experienced...

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