REGULARIZACIÓN Y COMERCIALIZACIÓN DEL RECURSO MICOLÓGICO EN LOS ESTADOS UNIDOS

David Pilz. PilzWald-Forestry Applications of Mycology, USA

US trends in the commercial harvest of wild edible forest mushrooms and regulation of harvesting activities are greatly influenced by land ownership patterns, fruiting abundance in different forest biomes, and types of markets. Eastern markets are mostly local and revolve around small-scale morel harvesting from private or state lands. Morels are the largest crop and they are often sold in Farmer’s Markets or local restaurants. Western markets differ by also including large-scale commodity harvesting of morels, matsutake, chanterelles, and boletes for international markets. These species are abundant on extensive tracts of federally owned land that are open to competitive harvesting.

About a decade ago, increased international competition in commodity markets for wild mushrooms drove down prices paid to harvesters in the western US. In spite of the fact that much of the US population is mycophobic, local and national demand for wild mushrooms has increased over the last five years as consumers seek new foods considered organic, locally produced, sustainable, healthy, gourmet, exotic, or wild. This emergent demand has lead to a modest rebound in harvester earnings and mushroom prices. Individuals seeking to earn a living with wild mushrooms also have diversified into activities such as producing value-added products, sponsoring mycotourism and cultivating truffles.

Reasonable federal and state regulation of mushroom harvesting, transportation, and commerce lags far behind private innovation in this growing industry. Harvesting regulations on federal lands are widely varied, uncoordinated, and cumbersome. Because land ownership is intermixed, harvesters have difficulty keeping track of which regulations apply. Obtaining permits is often time-consuming and expensive because they must be purchased in person during business hours at remote locations. Too often, harvest permits are not based on ecological principles. State regulations sometimes revolve around transportation of harvested mushrooms and in a few recent cases, correct identification, but most states have few or no regulations.

More importantly, there are virtually no public-private partnerships promoting responsible use, management, conservation, and development of local mushroom industries. The growing commerce in wild mushrooms in the United States is currently driven almost entirely by entrepreneurs. The only public-private partnerships are at the level of cities that promote local mushroom festivals. The United States could learn valuable lessons from European (especially Spanish) examples of integrating the management of wild mushrooms, forests, economic opportunities, and resource conservation.