Michigan Mushroom Identification Expert Certification for Just $175

[XLFD]

Do you usually have a lucrative cache of morel mushrooms at a favorite foraging site?  Around these parts, this prized fungus is almost ready to pop up out of last years leaves in a few days, and if conditions are favorable and if you find more morels than you could ever eat, your legal options have just gotten smaller unless you travel to Traverse City next Saturday, spend eight hours in a classroom setting, and write a check out to the "State of Michigan" for $175 so that you can become a certified Mushroom Identification Expert. 

No, this isn't a late April Fool's Day joke, but a new reality, where the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) is deciding to finally regulate an obscure law passed a while ago according to this MDARD link.  The link says Michigan’s Food Code requires that mushroom species picked in the wild must be obtained from sources where each mushroom is individually inspected and found to be safe by an approved mushroom identification expert.

Although the requirement for becoming an approved mushroom identification expert has been part of the Michigan Food Law for several years, our state has seen huge growth in both the demand for local products, including wild-foraged mushrooms, and the number of people interested in getting into mushroom harvesting and sales,” said Kevin Besey, MDARD Food and Dairy Division director. “The new certification program will help provide proper training and approval, while assuring public health with regard to the identification, sale, purchase, preparation and service of wild-foraged mushrooms."

The full-day training sessions will focus on the biology and morphological characteristics used in the identification of mushrooms, and include hands-on work with specimens, direct interaction with mycologists from the Midwest American Mycology Information (MAMI) group, and a written exam at the end of the day. A test score of 80 percent or higher is required to receive a certification good for five years as an approved mushroom identification expert.

One can just attend and spend $85 for the training, without getting certification. The program is designed to bring mushroom sellers in line with the regulations, but is also available for anyone who may be responsible for the purchase of mushrooms to be consumed by the general public or sold at retail.

MDARD spokeswoman Jennifer Holton said mushrooms sold illegal are subject to seizure and sellers "could face other enforcement action." Other news outlets have recently reported on this such as the Detroit Free Press and Kalamazoo (MLive).

ANALYSIS:  A perusal of existing Michigan Food Codes mentions 'mushroom' or 'mushrooms' only three times, once in a definition of "Foodborne Illness Outbreak", once in a definition of "Fruit and Vegetable Product", and in a section on meat patty contents. 

Would our elected legislators be so petty and unconcerned with their constituents to pass a law that would require licensing for identifying and picking wild mushrooms with an intent to sell the ones you cannot eat yourself. Even if they were, would you think they would punitively set the cost at $185 and make you travel to Lansing (which has already met), Traverse City, and Marquette to get it?

No; like the feral pig mandate for tame pigs and other administrative edicts from the MIDNR, this appears to be one government agency, MDARD, trying to make a buck, trying to cater to large commercial mushroom growers, and/or make themselves look useful and worthy of funding.

I have sent a FOIA request to the agency contacts provided in the state link to uncover where this phantom 'Mushroom Identification Expert' nonsense is coming from and whether there is any lawful reason MDARD or other state agents could seize your mushrooms and lawfully enforce this unincorporated law.

[Willy]

I bet it's coming from commercial growers and sellers of mushrooms. If they can make it harder for average folks to consume or sell some of the extra mushrooms they pick then that's more jingle in their pockets. I personally don't know how people can spot those dang things. I'll pick 4 or 5 while others I'm with find bag fulls.

[XLFD]

These departments are almost always doing piddling actions like this to squelch any competition with Big Ag, and it's probably not a coincidence this has happened and that Scottville is scheduled to once again be part of Big Mushroom due to some California investments in the old Stokely's/DNP Plant.

I usually go hunting with my brother and typically one of us outdoes the other in a big way; it seems it alternates each year on who has the 'morel focus'.