Mushrooms

British Columbia is the second largest mushroom producing province in Canada.

The main crops are different sizes of white-and-brown coloured strains of Agaricus button mushroom. A few specialty mushrooms are also produced and sold mainly to local restaurants. The Agaricus button industry has a reputation for growing high-quality fresh mushrooms.

Production

Mushrooms require compost to grow. Compost contains carbon sources that come from straw and from animal manure that contains residues of vegetable matter used as animal feed. About 2,000 cubic yards per week of dry poultry waste is used in mushroom media production, which plays a large and beneficial role in reducing excess nutrient load in the Fraser Valley.

Information on environmental management, food safety and pest management for commercial mushroom producers: mushroom production guide (PDF, 2.1MB)

Best practices and useful resources for the mushroom industry: Farm practices: mushroom (PDF, 263KB)

Regulation

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has a mandate to ensure a safe food supply for everyone. Other local, provincial and federal legislation and regulations apply.