Introduction to food safety for mushroom farm workers
Food safety certification programs, such as Freshcare and HARPS, require all staff to have some basic food safety training. As a minimum, staff must be aware of basic personal hygiene requirements.
This video provides a simple, 20 minute food safety induction suitable for all new workers, regardless of whether they are driving a forklift or picking mushrooms. It explains why food safety matters, different types of hazards that might occur on a mushroom farm, and - importantly - what staff need to do to avoid contaminating the product.
Storing chemicals safely
A chemical shed may not be the most glamorous, action packed or exciting place on farm, but it can certainly give a strong impression as to how the business is run. A well-kept, clean, and orderly chemical shed suggests a clean and orderly business. An auditor encountering a dirty, disorganised shed may well expect other aspects of the food safety system to be likewise.
Mushroom farming in Ukraine
Oldest compost yard in Ukraine.
Despite the challenges of war in Ukraine, this world leader in food production is advancing rapidly with increased production capacity, poised to deliver quality mushrooms to export markets.
Alternative casings and a sustainable mushroom industry
Mushrooms are a low impact food. As vertical farms, their land footprint is small, and energy and water inputs into mushroom crops are much lower than comparable foods. Consequently, mushrooms have an excellent CO2eq rating. This ‘green’ image, coupled with great taste and an ever-growing list of health benefits, weaves a sweet narrative of mushrooms as a sustainable food source for a growing world population. There is just one little snag. Casing, or more specifically, peat casing.
Inside the Marsh Lawson mushroom research centre
Research and development underpin new technology. For the mushroom industry this is no different. A dedicated research centre is one driver of important developments, as industry seeks ways to adapt
and respond to challenges.
Developments in mushroom harvesting
Of all horticultural industries, mushroom cultivation is the most tightly controlled. Mushroom growers are not at the mercy of the weather, crop cycles are quick, and everything from moisture to atmosphere to temperature can be tweaked to optimise quality and yield.
MushroomLink Magazine Issue 03
The third issue of the new MushroomLink magazine is now available. Please contact admin@ahr.com.au to organise a hard copy version of the magazine or be put on the mailing list.
Articles:
Developments in mushroom harvesting
Inside the Marsh Lawson Mushroom Research Centre
Alternative casings and a sustainable mushroom industry
Phone a friend for on-farm help
Mushroom in-store sampling
When it comes to planning dinner, nearly half of Australian cooks are last minute larry’s, providing the perfect opportunity to remind shoppers of the wonders of mushrooms as they do their dinner shopping. With this key statistic in mind, the Hort Innovation marketing team developed the Mushroom In-Store Sampling Program.
When it comes to planning dinner, nearly half of Australian cooks are last minute larry’s, providing the perfect opportunity to remind shoppers of the wonders of mushrooms as they do their dinner shopping. With this key statistic in mind, the Hort Innovation marketing team developed the Mushroom In-Store Sampling Program.
Phone a friend for on farm help
When you have a pest or disease problem on-farm that you are unsure of, or when you need to confirm the right way forward, what do you do? For Neil Newman of Country Farm Fresh Mushrooms, the answer is as close as the computer and the phone.
When you have a pest or disease problem on-farm that you are unsure of, or when you need to confirm the right way forward, what do you do? For Neil Newman of Country Farm Fresh Mushrooms, the answer is as close as the computer and the phone.
Mushroom Bulletin November 2022
In this edition:
MushroomLink Summer edition out soon
Feeding mushrooms – the ins and outs of nitrogen in mushroom compost
What's new in mushroom compost biology? - Dr Michael Kertesz
Roland van Doremaele - Efficient harvesting systems part one
MushroomLink Survey
Hort Innovation Mushroom Fund annual report
AGORA
Mushroom in store sampling
2022 AMGA Conference
The AMGA conference was a resounding success. The industry was able to gather for the first time in years to listen to a range of fantastic over the two days. MushroomLink has developed a podcast series and recordings of the R&D session to give those who were unable to come, and those who could use a refresher, a chance to hear great information from both international and local speakers. This Page will have a range of video presentations and podcasts from speakers at the conference.
Podcasts
Please note: The MushroomLink Podcast is hosted on most podcast hosting sites. Click here to find out where it is hosted or search “Mushroom Link” on your podcasting app of choice.
MushroomLink at the AMGA conference 2022: Jack Lemmen - Efficient harvesting systems part two
MushroomLink at the AMGA conference 2022: Folkert Moll - The future of Mushroom sustainability
MushroomLink at the AMGA conference 2022: Ralph Noble - Peat alternatives
Presentations
What's new in mushroom compost biology? - Dr Michael Kertesz
In this webinar, Dr Michael Kertesz (the University of Sydney) updated industry on the latest research into mushroom compost biology. Nitrogen, microbial communities and climate change are all on the agenda.
Marsh Lawson Mushroom Research Centre and PCR Disease Testing - Dr Gordon Rogers (Applied Horticultural Research)
In this presentation Dr Gordon Rogers (Applied Horticultural Research) provided an update on the Marsh Lawson Mushroom Research Centre (MLMRC) and the PCR disease testing service, a service program that was developed from trials run at the centre.
Dr Rogers' presentation includes past achievements, new trials, potential future trials and how results will be communicated to the industry. He also covers the potential for a new site should the existing site become unavailable.
They also showcase the PCR mushroom disease identification service that is provided by AHR. This service has been a key outcome of the MLMRC. It was developed through the MU12007project (Development of a pilot mushroom farm disease monitoring scheme) and was run by the University of Sydney in collaboration with Applied Horticultural Research, AusDiagnostics, Dr Warwick Gill and Judy Allan.
Australian mushroom industry pest and disease update - Dr Warwick Gill (University of Tasmania)
In this presentation Dr Warwick Gill (University of Tasmania) provides an update on the pest and disease situation for the Australian mushroom industry. This includes new and emerging pests and diseases, the pest and disease watchlist, and how the industry should respond to diseases on their farms. Dr Gill also highlights the upcoming MU21007: Pest and disease management for the Australian mushroom industry project, giving an outline on how the project will function.
Food safety, quality and risk management and MushroomLink - Dr Jenny Ekman (Applied Horticultural Research)
Dr Jenny Ekman (Applied Horticultural Research) gives an update on the MU20000: Mushroom food safety extension and adoption project. Highlighting the need for strong food safety practices for the industry.
Dr Ekman also provided an update on the MU21003: Mushroom industry communications programme (MushroomLink) project. She covered what it is, who it targets, why its needed and how it is delivered.
AMGA farm tour at Pure Compost
AMGA farm tour at SA Mushrooms
Hort Innovation Annual Fund report 2021/2022
What happened in the Mushroom Fund last year?
The 2021/2022 annual report for the Mushroom levy funds is out now.
The report covers what has been delivered this year, how the R&D levy has been invested over the year and how the fund is being managed.
A list of minor use permits for the potato industry, current as of the 15th of August 2022, is also provided.
Mushroom Farm Hygiene video
This video explains the steps of mushroom farm hygiene with special reference to the fungal disease Lecancillium or dry bubble
MushroomLink at the AMGA conference 2022: Flavia Fayet-Moore and Damien Belobrajdic - Nutrition from mushrooms
CSIRO researcher Dr Damien Belobrajdic and nutritionist Dr Falvia Fayet-Moore (NRAUS) are each advancing the case of mushrooms as a super food through research and advocacy.
We know mushrooms are healthy, but to inspire and promote their wider use in the food industry, evidence is required. Australian research is providing this evidence by showing that the mechanisms by which mushrooms help lower cholesterol is akin to that of oats.
But how can this help boost the Australian mushroom industry?
In this podcast, Damien discusses how his work with CSIRO (one of the first well-designed studies into mushroom’s cholesterol lowering properties world-wide) is the first step in achieving an FSANZ heath claim, and Flavia makes the case that mushrooms exemplify the ‘food as medicine’ concept.
Want to see more from the AMGA conference? click here to view presentations and listen to other podcasts.
MushroomLink at the AMGA conference 2022: Ralph Noble - Peat alternatives
Dr Ralph Noble
Rockwool, clay minerals, coal tailings, coconut coir, green wastes. There is a long list of potential peat alternatives, but how realistic are they in replacing peat in a commercial mushroom farm and what are the challenges?
If anyone can help us navigate this new era of sustainable casings it is Dr Ralph Noble.
Dr Noble has been researching peat alternatives in the UK for a number of years and has a clear idea about what works and what doesn’t.
He is also confident that, by 2030, there will be mushrooms grown in Australia without the use of peat.
Fresh from the AMGA conference in Adelaide, Dr Noble has a candid chat to MushroomLink’s Dr Jenny Ekman at the Marsh Lawson Mushroom Research Unit about the peat-free future of casing, emphasising that it is not a question of if, but when.
Want to see more from the AMGA conference? click here to view presentations and listen to other podcasts.
MushroomLink at the AMGA conference 2022: Folkert Moll - The future of Mushroom sustainability
Folkert Moll, Kekkilä-BVB
As the pressure to move away from peat mining grows, coupled with other global supply chain pressures, alternative sources of casing substrates is the key issue for the sustainable future of the mushroom industry.
Despite these pressing challenges, Folkert Moll from Kekkilä-BVB in the Netherlands believes that the future is bright. With heavy research investment into peat alternatives, and commitment to the rehabilitation of peat ecosystems, the horticultural industry can be completely peat-free by 2050.
In this short interview at the recent AMGA conference in Adelaide, Folkert outlined his company’s efforts in sustainability, and hinted at some very exciting European research in alternative casings as part of the Bioschamp project.
Want to see more from the AMGA conference? click here to view presentations and listen to other podcasts.
MushroomLink at the AMGA conference 2022: Jack Lemmen - Efficient harvesting systems part two
While many aspects of mushroom production have been mechanised, with computer-controlled compost production, bulk phase 3 compost, automatic casers and fillers, and many other technical aids, harvesting and packaging is still mostly a manual process.
With many growers in Australia struggling with labour costs and shortages, any technical help to optimise harvesting and packaging is met with great interest.
At the recent AMGA conference, Jack Lemmen from GTL outlined the latest developments using technology to improve the efficiency of human pickers.
In this podcast, Jack talks to MushroomLink’s Dr Jenny Ekman about the technologies available to growers now as well as the future potential of robotic harvesting and packing systems.
This podcast is part of the Hort Innovation funded project MU21003: Mushroom industry communications programme. It was funded through the Mushroom levy fund and contributions from the Australian Government.
Want to see more from the AMGA conference? click here to view presentations and listen to other podcasts.
MushroomLink at the AMGA conference 2022: Roland van Doremaele - Efficient harvesting systems part one
Robotic harvesting in mushrooms has been in development for decades, with earlier harvesters having limited success.
The drawer system from the Christiaens Group in The Netherlands is a fully integrated approach to growing, harvesting, and packing mushrooms.
In this system, the shelves move between growing and harvesting rooms, which has positive implications for pest and disease management, as well as improving harvest efficiency and making the working environment more attractive to pickers.
It would also allow ready incorporation of a robotic harvester, should this technology become viable in the future.
Chatting to MushroomLink’s Dr Jenny Ekman at the AMGA conference, Roland highlights all the benefits of the drawer system and the technologies available to growers now.
This podcast is part of the Hort Innovation funded project MU21003: Mushroom industry communications programme. It was funded through the Mushroom levy fund and contributions from the Australian Government.
Want to see more from the AMGA conference? click here to view presentations and listen to other podcasts.
MushroomLink Bulletin October 2022
In this edition:
Fact sheet: Mushroom nutrition and health messages
Coming soon: AMGA conference podcasts and videos
September marketing snapshot
Collaborative Marketing Workshop with the Mushroom Industry
Hort Innovation Mushroom Fund annual report
Poultry litter – more than just a nitrogen source
Mushroom Production Waste Streams - Novel Approaches to Management and Value Creation
Pest and disease news alert
Poultry litter – more than just a nitrogen source
Poultry litter is surely proof that one person’s waste is another’s windfall. Poultry litter is a highly cost-effective source of nitrogen. It is also a great source of the microbes essential for good compost production.
By Jenny Ekman and Geoff Martin
Poultry litter suitable for compost production is entirely sourced from broiler sheds. Litter is not just manure, but contains bedding material, feathers, blood, and potentially dirt or other materials. Manure from caged birds is less suitable, tending to be wet, sloppy, and low in carbohydrate. Litter from barn-based egg production and turkey manure are not suitable for making compost as they are relatively low in nitrogen.
What goes in affects what comes out
Modern broiler chickens are incredibly efficient converters of feed to body mass – approximately 1.5kg of chicken food produces 1kg of chicken. High feed use efficiency equals less waste, especially of the carbohydrates which nourish microbes during composting.
Despite this efficiency, feed still accounts for up to 70% of the cost of raising chickens. What goes in affects what comes out, so the type of feed used is clearly going to affect the attributes of the manure.
For example, broiler chickens were once fed mixtures of maize and soya, meat meals, offal, feather meal and tallow. However, the outbreak of mad cow disease in the UK focussed consumer concern about feeding meat meal (offal and poultry waste) products to chickens. Modern mixes are predominantly grains (wheat, barley, and sorghum) plus vegetable proteins and oils, vitamins, calcium carbonate, and other minor ingredients. These include enzymes to help the birds break down non-starch polysaccharides in grain.
Moreover, the life of a broiler chicken may be as little as six weeks, compared to 10 weeks a few decades ago. This factor, combined with dietary changes, has reduced nitrogen levels in manure from approximately 5.7% to 3.5%. Modern litter has 30% less phosphorus, as well as lower levels of fats, carbohydrates, uric acid, and enzymes than it once did. In particular, the decline in the enzymes uricase and urease, which break down uric acid, has reduced ammonia levels during Phase I – vital to kick start the breakdown of straw in the first 48 hours of composting1.
While the use of antibiotics in chicken feed as growth promoters and therapeutic agents has been declining, they may still be used by some producers. Such products are not fully metabolised within the bird. They may even be designed to be excreted to avoid contaminating the flesh. Presence of such products in manure could also potentially affect microbial activity during composting.
Bedding materials matter
The type of bedding material used will depend on what is cheap and locally available. For example, rice hulls make an effective bedding material, but availability depends on how much rice is grown, which is largely determined by the cost of water. During the drought rice production fell close to zero, so there were no rice hulls to be had. Sawdust and wood shavings are also used as bedding, however the prices of these materials have increased. The last two years of good rainfall have seen many chicken producers change to wheat straw, which is now readily available.
A 2019 study by AgriFutures Australia2 found that more than 65% of chicken meat producers were looking for alternative sources of bedding materials due to cost and supply issues. For example, wood shavings can cost $22-$40/m3 compared to $10-$15/m3 for straw. The study identified several other alternative litter materials including nut husks, oat hulls, stubble pellets, miscanthus grass, and tree-litter.
The type of bedding material used is likely to significantly alter the C:N balance in the waste product. For example, litter from wood shavings has much lower nitrogen content than that from rice hulls, with clear implications for composting.
Another change due to increased cost/reduced availability of bedding materials is the more frequent recycling of the litter by re-use, layering or mixing. In the past, about 70% of Australian broiler chickens were grown on new bedding, with the remaining farms practicing partial re-use3
In the US, litter may be re-used for up to 2 years before the sheds are fully cleared out. The bedding is windrowed inside the shed, allowing it to partially compost, before re-spreading for the next batch of birds4
Australian growers appear to be also recycling litter, altering both the volume and composition of material available for compost production. This material may have higher nitrogen than single use litter, but also lacks bulk. The result is an increased requirement for straw, which is more expensive than poultry manure.
In conclusion, compost producers need to maintain good communication with their poultry manure suppliers. They need to know if production methods change. The way the chickens are grown will affect not just nitrogen in the litter, but also moisture levels, density, and a multitude of other factors. And that in turn affects the quality of compost produced.
References
1 Martin G. 2022. Poultry manure in mushroom compost production. Dr Mush Advisory
2 Watson K, Wiedemann SG. 2019. Review of fresh litter supply, management and spent litter utilisation. AgriFutures Australia. 128pp.
3 Chinavasagam HN, Tran T, Blackall PJ. 2012. Impact of the Australian litter re-use practice on Salmonella in the broiler farming environment. Food Res. Int. 45:891-896..
4 LeBlanc B. et al. 2005. Poultry production best management practices. Louisiana Ag Centre.