Event Details
Date
February 23, 2022
Time
3:00pm - 4:30pm
Host
Harvest New YorkYolanda Gonzalez
516-305-0358
email Yolanda Gonzalez
Regulations, Certification, and the Specialty Mushroom Industry: Mushroom Production Certification
February 23, 2022Regulations, Certification, and the Specialty Mushroom Industry
Certification of Mushroom Production Practices: Webinar #2
Join the Cornell Small Farms Program and CCE Harvest NY in an opportunity to learn how to navigate the various regulations and certifications in a specialty mushroom enterprise. The type, location, scale, and markets of a given farm all affect the programs that farmers are required or can choose to join.
Specialty mushrooms are defined by USDA as any species not belonging to the genus Agaricus (button, crimini, portabella). Examples of programs we will discuss in this two-part series include FSMA Produce Rule, GAPs (Good Agricultural Practices), New York Grown and Certified, Certified Naturally Grown, and Organic Certification.
Several options exist for verification programs that growers can utilize to certify their production practices and increase their market potential. This webinar covers the practices and procedures for becoming Certified Organic, Certified Naturally Grown, and New York Grown and Certified. Hear from the people who offer these options and from mushroom growers who utilize them, and get your questions answered.
Speakers:
Alice Varon, Certified Naturally Grown
Jessica Terry, NOFA - NY
Participating Farms TBA
This content will expand on resources already available in our Harvest to Market guide at CornellMushrooms.org. Both webinars will be recorded and posted for later viewing.
Registration is free for anyone interested in learning about these topics.
Upcoming Events
CRAFT Urban Farmer Meet up
June 23, 2026
5:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Long Island City, NY
Kick off the growing season with a networking event where growers can have conversations about plans for this year and discuss opportunities for collaboration. Members from the Harvest NY team will talk about the Urban Ag Labor Study. Food and seedlings will be provided. Urban Farming from the Ground Up
July 2, 2026
10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Bronx, NY
Join CCE Harvest NY Specialist, Karen Guzman, to turn a community center into an urban farm! This is an open volunteer event, join us! Urban Agroforestry Summit
July 14, 2026
9:30 AM - 3:30 PM
New York, NY
Learn and network with urban agroforestry practitioners, service providers and city government partners on ways to scale agroforestry in NYCJoin the Cornell Small Farms Program and Harvest New York for the first annual NYC Urban Agroforestry Summit. Begin the day by learning from invited speakers who will explore the evolution, current landscape, and future potential of agroforestry within New York City's food systems and urban forestry initiatives.
Announcements
Community Gardens Soil Testing Program Accepting Applications
Soil testing supports the growth and expansion of community gardens by protecting the health and safety of the food produced in these gardens. CCE Harvest NY, in partnership with the NYS Department of Agriculture & Markets (AGM) and the Cornell Soil Health Lab, is offering eligible, food-producing gardens in New York State the opportunity to send soil samples for testing without charge.The soil test will analyze samples for heavy metals and nutrient levels. Test results help gardeners make appropriate plans to produce high quality fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Technical support and education for participating growers will be available from the CCE Harvest New York team. Learn more about the 2026 Community Gardens Soil Testing Program.
