Iowa State University Extension and Outreach offers classes for anyone interested in being certified to sell wild-harvested mushrooms within the state of Iowa. The workshops are held every year during the spring.
To legally sell eight different wild-harvested mushrooms in Iowa, sellers must complete a certification workshop that covers identifying and distinguishing them from look-alikes. In fall 2021 the following mushrooms were added to the training.
|
Common name |
Scientific name |
Changes |
|---|---|---|
|
Morel |
Morchella spp. M. americana, M. angusticeps, M. punctipes |
Original workshop |
|
Oyster |
Pleurotus citrinopileatus, Pleurotus ostreatus, Pleurotus populinus, or Pleurotus pulmonarious |
added in 2020 |
|
Chicken of the woods |
Laetiporus spp: L. cincinnatus, L. sulphureus |
offered in 2022 |
|
Hen of the woods |
Grifola frondosa |
offered in 2022 |
|
Chanterelles |
Cantharellus cibarius group |
offered in 2022 |
|
Bear's head tooth, Lion's mane |
Hericium spp: H. erinaceus H. americanum |
offered in 2022 |
|
Pheasant backs |
Polyporus squamosus |
offered in 2022 |
|
Black trumpet |
Craterellus cornucopoides |
offered in 2022 |
People can be poisoned by eating misidentified mushrooms. By the end of the workshops, participants will recognize the ushtoom listed above and diferetiate them fomr ther most common looks.
Iowans who have not been certified to sell morel mushrooms for three or more years much recertify this year. Registration is open to out-of-state individuals that hunt and sell in Iowa, but keep in mind local certification may be required to sell in your home state.
Trainings for 2022: more details coming up in November, 2021
Register at (uncoming site)
Registration closes April 8, 2022
Questions about the training email pidc@iastate.edu
IA Department of inspections and appeals rulings
Pertaining mushrooms 6/16/2021: https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/aco/arc/5701C.pdf
https://rules.iowa.gov/Notice/Details/5701C
See page 1-definitions at https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/iac/chapter/481.30.pdf
Consumer advisory as in the ruling:
“A consumer advisory shall inform consumers by brochures, deli case, menu advisories, label statements, table tents, placards, or other effective written means that ‘wild-harvested mushrooms should be thoroughly cooked and may cause allergic reactions or other effects.”
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Safe mushroom foraging resources
Mushroom calendar specific to Iowa and Midwestern states
The calendar shows the months when mushroom species have been recorded in Iowa and other parts of the upper Midwest. The dates of the actual appearance of any one species can vary widely from year to year and are primarily based on environmental conditions, including ground temperature, the timing of rainfall, amount of precipitation, and season.