U.S. Mushroom Growers Reaffirm Commitment to Quality, Innovation, and Fair Competition Following U.S. International Trade Commission Determination

WASHINGTON, Feb. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- U.S. mushroom growers across the country remain committed to providing American consumers with a wholesome, high-quality product grown with care, innovation, and the dedication of thousands of workers and family farming operations.

For generations, the U.S. fresh mushroom industry has combined agricultural expertise with modern production practices to deliver one of the highest-yielding and quality crops in the world. Growers continue to invest in food safety, sustainability, and evolving infrastructure, supported by skilled teams working behind the scenes every day to meet the needs of U.S. consumers.

Low-priced import competition from Canada, however, is undermining U.S. growers' efforts. Growers are seeking a fair and level playing field to grow and market their product domestically.

Strong Support from U.S. Growers
The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) recently issued a unanimous preliminary determination that the domestic fresh mushroom industry has been materially injured by imports from Canada. These imports have increased their market share in the United States year after year. The ITC's determination reflects extensive evidence provided throughout the preliminary phase investigation, including the documented effects of low-priced imports on U.S. farm operations, production decisions, and market stability.

A Commerce Department poll of U.S. mushroom growers demonstrated overwhelming support for the action, countering claims that only certain market participants support the effort to ensure fresh mushrooms from Canada are traded fairly in the U.S. market. Most of the growers supporting this effort are multi-generational family farms that have long served American consumers and local communities.

U.S. Growers Have Capacity to Meet Market Demand
Assertions that U.S. growers could not satisfy market needs have been strongly rebutted. Numerous growers report that production cutbacks, empty growing rooms, and even farm closures have been the result of lost market share due to unfair Canadian competition.

Claims linking these circumstances to the seasonal and localized Phorid fly issue have also been rebutted. Most U.S. growers do not experience Phorid flies, and even farms with modern infrastructure in affected regions remain susceptible, underscoring that the primary driver of reduced production has been economic pressure caused by unfairly traded imports from Canada, and not widespread pest or disease conditions.

Modern U.S. mushroom farms, like their traditional counterparts, have likewise struggled to compete with low-priced and unfairly traded Canadian product.

Market Evidence Points to Oversupply, Not Shortage
The record developed in the ITC's preliminary phase also demonstrates that market share losses are not due to a supply shortage regarding U.S. producers. To the contrary, U.S. producers have excess supply, including documented instances of composting unsold mushrooms, steaming off crops with no sales opportunities, redirecting fresh mushrooms to processors due to limited fresh demand, and reducing plantings across nearly all U.S. farms. This evidence was presented to the ITC and was identified in support of the agency's preliminary injury ruling.

Canadian Expansion Raises Further Concerns
Growers remain concerned that Canadian production expansion, supported by subsidies from the Canadian government, is generating volumes beyond what can be absorbed in Canada's domestic market. As a result, additional unfairly-traded product has been, and will continue to be, targeted at the U.S. market, further injuring domestic producers.

Many Canadian operations, particularly the largest producers, are owned by private equity firms or conglomerates, creating competitive pressures distinct from the family-farm structure that defines much of the U.S. industry.

Industry Investing in the Future Through Marketing and Innovation
Despite these challenges, U.S. growers remain focused on strengthening their fresh mushroom operations and supporting long-term consumer growth. Coalition members recently led the initiative and vote to raise the Mushroom Council marketing fee assessment, proposing to nearly double the investment in promotion. While the coalition supported an assessment increase of nearly double, the final proposal did not receive sufficient backing and was ultimately approved at a 37% increase.

The coalition strongly supports a new marketing strategy aimed at reaching younger generations and introducing new consumers to mushrooms, reinforcing the industry's commitment to innovation and category expansion.

However, growers note that unfair competition has limited profitability for many farms, making it more difficult to generate the resources necessary to modernize operations and invest in new infrastructure. Coalition members are cautiously optimistic that the on-going investigations will provide relief to domestic producers and create opportunities to invest in strengthening their operations.

Commitment to American Consumers
U.S. mushroom growers remain proud of the quality, consistency, and care that go into every crop. Supported by experienced growers, dedicated employees, and generations of farming knowledge, the industry will continue working to ensure consumers have access to a nutritious product grown under fair market conditions.

SOURCE Fresh Mushrooms Fair Trade Coalition