Protecting Mushroom Farmers Act

This bill tells the federal crop insurance program to research and develop an insurance policy for mushrooms and the materials they grow in (like compost). If the policy meets program standards, the agency must make it available to producers. The study must look at covering common risks such as pest flies (phorid and sciarid), fungal and viral diseases, weather-related power outages, and heavy rain that washes out growing media. It must also consider best practices to reduce losses, whether coverage should be one policy or split by production stage, ways to cut paperwork for short grow cycles and many varieties, and whether to protect against revenue losses. A plain-language summary from the Library of Congress echoes these points and notes that any resulting policy that meets program rules must be offered to producers.

Key points:

• Who is affected: Mushroom growers and businesses that produce mushroom growing media.
• What changes: The federal crop insurance program must research and develop a mushroom insurance policy, focusing on specific pests and diseases, weather-related losses (including power outages and heavy rainfall), reducing paperwork, and possible revenue protection. If the policy meets program requirements, it must be offered to producers .
• When: A report on the research is due within two years after the bill becomes law; the policy could be offered once it meets program standards .