Pennsylvania leads the United States in mushroom production. In 2011, the 69 mushroom farms in the Commonwealth grew 65 percent of the total U.S. mushroom production. Pennsylvania mushroom farmers produced 447 million pounds of white and brown Agaricus mushrooms for the fresh market with a value of $430 million and 101 million pounds for the processed market with a value of $56 million. More than 10 million pounds of specialty mushrooms were grown in the state with a value of $30 million. PA mushroom farms are family owned and operated, some for as many as four generations. Farms use both conventional and organic agricultural practices and vary in size.  

The mushroom farm community extends to companies that provide services (food safety testing), equipment (forklifts, trucks), supplies (spawn, gloves, harvesting baskets), technology (computer systems to control growing room temperatures), transportation and many other products.  Without the mushroom farms, there will be no need for these ancillary businesses or their employees.

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