At the February 18 Council virtual meeting, the Mushroom Council® elected new officers for 2021.
- Chairperson: Sonya Beltran, director of operations, Masda Mushrooms/First Generation Farms, Toughkenamon, Pa.
- Vice-Chairperson: Curtis Jurgensmeyer, CEO, J-M Farms, Miami, Okla.
- Secretary: Emily Bettencourt, director of quality assurance and safety, Global Mushrooms, Gilroy, Calif.
- Treasurer: Mark Moran, Kaolin Mushrooms/South Mill Champs, Kennett Square, Pa.
The nine-member Council is comprised of eight domestic growers and one importer representing four regions. The program’s purpose is to maintain and expand existing mushroom markets and uses. Members are:
Region 1 (Includes all states except for Calif. and Pa.)
- Curtis Jurgensmeyer, J-M Farms Inc.
- Edward M. Wuensch III, Kitchen Pride Mushroom Farm
- M. Fletcher Street, Ostrom Mushrooms
Region 2 (Includes Pennsylvania)
- Joe Caldwell, Giorgi Mushroom Company
- Sonya Beltran, Masda Mushrooms/First Generation Farms
- Meghan Klotzbach, C.P. Yeatman & Sons/Mother Earth
- Mark Moran, South Mill/Champs Mushrooms
Region 3 (Includes Calif.)
- Emily Bettencourt, Global Mushrooms
Region 4 (Includes importers)
- Jane Rhyno, Highline Mushrooms
Mushroom Council Calls for Nominations — 2022-2024 Term
A call for nominations for three-year terms beginning January 1, 2022, is now open. Completed nomination forms must be emailed or postmarked no later than May 1, 2021. The regions with positions available are:
- Region 2 (Pa.) – two open positions
- Region 3 (Calif.) – one open position
For more information, please contact Cheryl@mushroomcouncil.org.
About the Mushroom Council:
The Mushroom Council is composed of fresh market producers and importers who average more than 500,000 pounds of mushrooms produced or imported annually. The mushroom program is authorized by the Mushroom Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act of 1990 and is administered by the Mushroom Council under the supervision of the Agricultural Marketing Service. Research and promotion programs help to expand, maintain and develop markets for individual agricultural commodities in the United States and abroad. These industry self-help programs are requested and funded by the industry groups that they serve. For more information, visit mushroomcouncil.com.
