For almost 45 years I have been involved in the mushroom industry, first and always as a student of mushroom science and then as a commercial mushroom grower.

I worked 12 years growing mushrooms at the largest mushroom company in Canada with a tray farm, 3 shelf farms and a Dutch-style bulk tunnel farm. As Director of Growing, I provided technical assistance and training to the growers at all 5 farms.

For the past 34 years I have worked at Penn State as the director of the mushroom extension program for the North American commercial mushroom industry. My previous commercial growing experience provides practical insight into the development and organization of my educational programs that address the changing needs of the industry.

My research program involves all aspects of mushroom growing from composting, compost nutrition for the mushroom, disease management (IPM), and cultural factors affecting mushroom yield, size, and quality. I have developed and conducted several customized grower educational programs for mushroom farms and suppliers.

We are currently looking for a dedicated Sales Manager to support the sales of our services and microorganism products.

Please read the vacancy here.

For the distribution of our nematode products in the home and garden sector, e-nema is now looking for a dedicated Sales Manager.

Please read the vacancy here.

October 14, 2024

Langeais, FR – Sylvan, a leading manufacturer of fungal biotechnology solutions, today announces the acquisition of French agaricus mushroom spawn producer EuroMycel from Bonduelle (BON.PA). The acquisition strengthens Sylvan’s position in the edible fungi market, expanding its capacity and capabilities in spawn production in Europe. Pending final legal approvals, the transaction is expected to close by the end of 2024.

Enhancing capabilities and expanding capacity

The acquisition of EuroMycel allows Sylvan to tap into additional production capacity which it requires as part of the rollout of their Strategy 2028, which will see an increased focus on the commercialisation of patented new strains and fungal solutions. EuroMycel, known for its high quality agaricus strains and expertise in grain-based spawn production, will enhance Sylvan’s ability to serve the rapidly growing demand for its products in the European market and beyond.

“We are excited to welcome Frédéric and the EuroMycel team to the Sylvan organisation. The company has built an excellent reputation as a supplier of reliable high-performance spawn, and they will continue to operate independently under the existing leadership team. We cannot wait to start the process of sharing scientific knowledge and expertise across the businesses.” said Iwan Brandsma, Sylvan Europe CEO and Group Chief Growth Officer. “This acquisition is a significant step forward in the delivery of our Strategy 2028 ambitions.”

Read the full press release here.

What a great initiative in the US!
We would love to hear from other countries building this concept as well. Please send us an e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Let's eat more mushrooms ? and spread the good news and initiatives.

After the last water during the incubation in the casing soil, the grower wants the mycelium to grow onto the surface. To ensure a good recovery of the mycelium in this period the right settings for the room climate are essential.

An RH at a minimum of 95%. A very slow air speed, if possible zero and an adequate room temperature. That room temperature should be as close to the optimum for vegetative growth as possible. That optimum temperature is 25° C to 26° C.
This means often a room temperature of around 21° as a minimum. Then the mycelium has the right conditions to grow onto the surface.

The next question is: how high do I let it grow ?
Higher means better control of the number of primordia, so no surprises about the number of mushrooms growing out. Higher also means easier picking so a higher pick rate. Another positive experience is that clustering is easier avoided.

But the big dis-advantage of having the mycelium higher on the surface is that the climate conditions have to be perfect. The influence of the climate onto the mycelium and the primordia is bigger. So one moment of for instance too low RH means that you will lose primordia. Deeper mycelium is also easier to stagger the mushrooms so that is an advantage too. Another point is the fact if the grower can stop the mycelium when it grows too high. Overlay as that is called makes the outgrow of primordia more difficult. They come from underneath the blanket of mycelium.

So what determines the choice?
Both ways have their pro’s and con’s.
But for me the crucial point to choose a way is the technical capacity of the farm and the experience of the grower. If you are able to stop the mycelium at all times, still create the stagger and have perfect control of the environmental conditions, grow white.
If you are not sure of all this, grow deeper into the surface of the casing soil. So grow blacker.
Generally blacker is safer.

Running a mushroom farm requires not only knowledge of cultivation but also the right tools to support the work.

Due to the high interest in our recent guide, "What You Need to Know Before Buying a Mushroom Picking Lorries," we've updated our insights and are sharing it with you in a new edition. The current version provides detailed information on choosing the best lorry, with functionality and ergonomics that truly enhance productivity and work comfort.

What's New?
In this update, we’ve highlighted key aspects such as speed and power systems, lorry functionality and ergonomics, as well as work safety and harvesting range. Maintenance is also critical—so we’ve included technical specifications along with information on easy dismantling and cleaning of lorry components.
Our guide provides valuable insights on choosing the right equipment and what to look for to ensure a quick return on investment. It’s worth remembering that investing in an advanced lorry not only increases yields and efficiency but also saves on labor costs while improving comfort and safety for employees.

Explore the Guide
Read our updated guide to learn how to equip your mushroom farm with the best tools to maximize results.

A PLANT-BASED manufacturer has struck a major partnership with Britain’s biggest food wholesaler – just months after its first burgers rolled off the production line.

Myco’s “game changing” deal will see industry powerhouse Brakes supply the North Yorkshire company’s Hooba range in a move that will dramatically increase the product’s visibility. Created using vertically farmed oyster mushrooms grown inside Myco’s UK-first production facility, Hooba is sold as burgers, sausages and mince. The pioneering production process creates less food miles and is so sustainable, Hooba’s quarter pounder was dubbed “Britain’s greenest burger’ when it launched this summer.

The partnership will see Brakes offer it to the firm’s 20,000 customers and Myco CEO David Wood said the deal was so significant that it moved the company “ahead of schedule” in terms of its growth.

“This is a game changing partnership for Myco and has huge transformational potential for our business,” said David. “Our Hooba range only launched this summer, but the feedback we’ve had from both customers and the industry has been immense and helped us to secure some key industry contracts. “However, Brakes’ reach is unmatched, and we were determined to work with them. They supply 95 per cent of the food service industry and it will mean that 20,000 caterers and food service operators now have access to Hooba.”

The partnership has also created a market first, with Hooba the only mushroom-based sustainable product that’s grown in the UK to enter the food service and catering supply chains. The growth for the business comes as Myco’s own team expands, with Katie Snarska joining as Technical Manager. Having worked in food technology for the past 15 years, Katie has worked in various technical roles for the likes of Nestle, Vale of Mowbray and Ripon Select Foods. And almost as year since Myco moved into their Leeming Bar base, the company hope that the Brakes partnership is just the first step on the journey towards more growth – and more breakthroughs.

“Our initial goal was to create a sustainable food production unit to create a delicious plant-based product - that target was met, and now we are excitedly looking to the future,” added David. “This is the first step in an ambitious onboarding plan that will see further investments across the board during the next 12 months. And we are continuing to push to work with the meat industry, not against it. One of Hooba’s biggest benefits is how well it works as a hybrid mince and our goal is for Hooba to be a product that will help people eat less which is better for the planet.“

Myco will also be exhibiting at stand E42 at the Plant Based World Expo in London November 13/14.

For more information on the company, visit their website here.

Source: Myco