Bumper crop of Morel Mushrooms (for 2014 - Michigan Live! feature article highlights)

Reporter for Michigan LIVE! is Rosemary Parker (rparker3 @ mlive.com): The bumper crop of morel mushrooms that hunters are reporting this season, combined with a retail price of as much as $50, may lead some hunters to consider, for the first time, selling their excess finds. Michigan State University has anticipated that situation and has posted a new guide, by Extension educator Julia Darnton: "Foraged and for sale: What to know about selling wild mushrooms and other edibles." Because eating the wrong mushroom can make people sick, or even kill them, state food safety rules are explicit and strict, the guide explains. Here is what the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development says: "To be approved to sell wild mushrooms, wild herbs, or other wild plants in Michigan, the vendor must satisfy all of the following provisions: •The seller must be recognized as appropriately trained and competent in the identification of safe botanical and mycological varieties. Alternatively, the seller may employ a recognized expert. •The seller shall submit a written statement to the MDARD Food & Dairy Division identifying the person who will verify the species and the procedures for safeguarding against the sale of potentially injurious mushrooms. The statement shall include a description of that person's education, experience and expertise. •Each individual wild mushroom shall be inspected and identified by the recognized expert. Only those identified as safe may be sold. •Each storage container of mushrooms shall be labeled with the scientific and common name of the mycological variety. Packaged mushrooms may be identified by the common name only and shall bear additional labeling in full accordance with current state and federal requirements. •Written records that indicate the quantity, variety, expert identifier, and buyer of the mushrooms shall be retained by the packer for a period of not less than two years. These records shall be made available for MDARD examination, upon request. •Wild mushrooms shall be handled and protected from contamination in accordance with all current state and federal regulations associated with the handling and processing of foods intended for human consumption." The vendor is not required to hold a license from MDARD for any given farmers market, the Extension publication says, but " slicing or other processing or warehousing of wild mushrooms must take place in an approved food establishment licensed by MDARD or a local health department." For those who believe the rules are too strict, or who are tempted to buy from the back of that pick-up truck, the author reminds that there are more than 50 species of wild mushrooms found in Michigan and many of these are poisonous. http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2014/05/morels_for_sale_heres_what_mic.html