AMES, Iowa—Mushroom gatherers who wish to sell wild-harvested mushrooms can attend certification workshops held in Ames on March 28 and April 11. The Iowa Wild-Harvested Mushroom Certification is required for those selling any of the eight state-regulated mushrooms in Iowa, and participants will learn how to distinguish those eight from look-alikes that could be poisonous. Anyone with an interest in mushrooms, including those who sell them, can attend the workshop, offered by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.
The common names of mushrooms that require certification to sell are morel, oyster, chicken of the woods, hen of the woods, chanterelles, bear’s head tooth/lion’s mane, pheasant back and black trumpet.
According to Chelsea Harbach, director of diagnostics with the Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic at Iowa State, Iowans who have not been certified to sell mushrooms for three or more years must recertify this year. Registration is open to out-of-state individuals who hunt and sell in Iowa, but local certification may be required to sell in your home state.
The workshop content will prepare participants for the certification exam, which is administered at the end of the workshop. Each workshop is divided into two parts:
- Online pre-workshop webinar. Each workshop includes a mandatory one-hour webinar on Wednesday evening prior to the workshop date. Materials covered in this webinar will be included in the certification exam, which requires a score of 80% or higher to pass.
- In-person workshop (required for the certificate). Participants who pass (with at least an 80%) will receive their full-size and wallet-sized certificates.
Registration
Participants can choose from two available registration options. The cost for certificate registration is $80, while non-certificate registration is $60. Registration for the March 28 and April 11 offerings must be completed at least one week before each workshop. Both workshops will take place from 1 to 3 p.m. in Ames. Details about the specific location will be provided to registrants as the workshop dates approach.
For more information, visit Iowa Wild-Harvested Mushroom Certification or contact Harbach at pidc@iastate.edu.
Mushroom picking in season. Edible forest mushrooms, chanterelles grow in the grass. Photo credit: Anna – adobe.stock.com
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