Revising U.S. Standards for Grades of Mushrooms

Issuing agencies

Abstract

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) is revising the U.S. Standards for Grades of Mushrooms to add a grade for portabella mushrooms, remove size from the criteria for each grade and create a separate section for size, and revise the tolerances for defects consistent with modern production and handling practices. In addition, AMS is updating terminology, definitions, and defect scoring guides throughout the grade standards. These changes align the grade standards with modern harvesting practices and provide guidance for the effective utilization of this commodity.

Full Text

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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 163 (Tuesday, August 25, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54845-54846]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-17309]


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Notices
                                                Federal Register
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Federal Register / Vol. 91, No. 163 / Tuesday, August 25, 2026 / 
Notices

[[Page 54845]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Doc. No. AMS-SC-25-0056]


Revising U.S. Standards for Grades of Mushrooms

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Final notice.

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SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of 
Agriculture (USDA) is revising the U.S. Standards for Grades of 
Mushrooms to add a grade for portabella mushrooms, remove size from the 
criteria for each grade and create a separate section for size, and 
revise the tolerances for defects consistent with modern production and 
handling practices. In addition, AMS is updating terminology, 
definitions, and defect scoring guides throughout the grade standards. 
These changes align the grade standards with modern harvesting 
practices and provide guidance for the effective utilization of this 
commodity.

DATES: Applicable September 24, 2026.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andrew Buss, by phone at (231) 260-
5913; fax at (540) 361-1199; or email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#8aebe4eef8effda4e8fff9f9cafff9eeeba4ede5fc"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="25444b415740520b4750565665505641440b424a53">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>. Copies 
of the U.S. Standards for Grades of Mushrooms are available at <a href="https://www.ams.usda.gov/grades-standards/mushrooms-grades-and-standards">https://www.ams.usda.gov/grades-standards/mushrooms-grades-and-standards</a>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 203(c) of the Agricultural Marketing 
Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1621-1627), as amended, directs and authorizes 
the Secretary of Agriculture ``[t]o develop and improve standards of 
quality, condition, quantity, grade, and packaging, and recommend and 
demonstrate such standards in order to encourage uniformity and 
consistency in commercial practices.''
    AMS is committed to carrying out this authority in a manner that 
facilitates the marketing of agricultural commodities and makes copies 
of official standards upon request. The U.S. Standards for Grades of 
Fruits and Vegetables which no longer appear in the Code of Federal 
Regulations (CFR) are maintained by AMS at <a href="https://www.ams.usda.gov/grades-standards">https://www.ams.usda.gov/grades-standards</a>. AMS is revising the U.S. Standards for Grades of 
Mushrooms (the Standards) using the procedures that appear in part 36 
of title 7 of the CFR (7 CFR part 36).

Background

    On April 2, 2020, the American Mushroom Institute (AMI), a trade 
association representing growers, retailers, and shippers from the 
United States, petitioned AMS to revise the Standards. From 2020 to 
2024, AMS worked closely with AMI to provide guidance and discuss the 
proposal, including relevant revisions. In its petition, AMI stated 
that USDA standards for mushrooms do not conform to current industry 
practices, and no standards for ``Portabella'' mushroom varieties 
exist. AMI also requested new definitions to cover defects that are not 
currently defined in the Standards. AMS reviewed and incorporated 
recommendations from AMI's petition and subsequent feedback into this 
revision, which reflects a collaborative effort between AMS and 
industry. The updates to the Standards, identified below, affect 
definitions, grades, size, and defects of mushrooms. On April 10, 2026, 
AMS published in the Federal Register (91 FR 18390; Docket No. AMS-SC-
25-0056) a Notice and request for comments (Notice) on proposed 
revisions to the Standards. AMS also made publicly available AMI's 
petition for proposed changes to the Standards and a discussion draft 
of the Standards implementing such proposed changes.
    Through this action, AMS is implementing the following revisions to 
the Standards to align with modern production, handling and harvesting 
practices, and to provide guidance for the effective utilization of 
this commodity:
    <bullet> Add a new ``General'' section (51.3385) to describe the 
types of mushrooms covered by the Standards: the Agaricus bisporus 
species of cultivated white button, brown button (commonly called 
crimini or cremini (alternative spelling), baby, and baby bella), and 
portabella (including portobello (alternative spelling), ports, and 
giant crimini) mushrooms.
    <bullet> Redesignate existing sections 51.3385 through 51.3398 as 
sections 51.3386 through 51.3399.
    <bullet> Add a new grade section (51.3388) ``U.S. No. 1 
Portabella'' and its associated tolerances in section 51.3389(a)(3).
    <bullet> Remove tolerance and size specifications from the criteria 
for each grade and create new separate sections (51.3389 and 51.3391, 
respectively) for those specifications.
    <bullet> Revise the definition of ``Open veils'' (now section 
51.3392(f)) to allow for a small degree of exposed gills before open 
veils are considered damage (materially detracting) in mushrooms other 
than portabella mushrooms, while also recognizing that open veils are a 
characteristic of and are not considered damage in portabella type 
mushrooms.
    <bullet> Add a separate tolerance for open veils ``at shipping 
point'' for U.S. No. 1 grade button mushrooms (section 
51.3389(a)(1)(i)).
    <bullet> Revise the defect tolerances for ``at shipping point'' and 
``en route or at destination'' for both U.S. No. 1 and U.S. No. 2 
grades (section 51.3389 (a)(1)-(2)).
    <bullet> Reorganize and update the definition section to reflect 
current industry practices and terminology, and revise ``Damage'' to 
now include the following specific defects that are considered as 
damage: ``Bruising,'' ``Cuts or mechanical defects,'' 
``Discoloration,'' ``Extraneous material,'' ``Feathering,'' ``Open 
veils,'' and ``Spots'' (now sections 51.3392(a)-(g)). The existing 
defect at current 51.3395(b) (``Dirt when any amount is embedded in the 
cap or stem'') is now included under ``Extraneous Material'' at new 
51.3392(d).
    <bullet> Revise ``Application of Tolerances'' section (now 
51.3390(a)-(c)) to establish different package tolerance limits based 
on the size of the packaging. The ``Application of Tolerances'' section 
of the Standards identifies the maximum limit of defects and off-size 
mushrooms that are allowed in an individual package of mushrooms.
    <bullet> Add language to the newly designated grades provisions for 
``U.S. No. 1'' (section 51.3386), ``U.S. No. 1 Portabella'' (section 
51.3388) and definition of ``Similar varietal

[[Page 54846]]

characteristics'' (section 51.3398) to permit mixed specialty packs of 
white and brown mushrooms. When lots are not intentionally packed as 
mixed/specialty packs, a dissimilar colored mushroom is considered a 
defect. This revision recognizes mixed color specialty packs and better 
reflects current marketing trends.

Comments

    AMS provided a 60-day comment period for interested parties to 
submit comments on the proposed grade standards. In response to its 
request, AMS received and considered 9 comments. All comments were 
posted on <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>. All 9 commentors expressed their 
support for the proposed revisions to the U.S. Standards for Grades of 
Mushrooms.
    AMS is moving forward with the revisions to the U.S. Standards for 
Grades of Mushrooms as proposed by the American Mushroom Institute, as 
these updates will provide the clarity and consistency industry seeks 
by better aligning with modern mushroom production practices and 
current marketing trends.
    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1621-1627.

Erin Morris,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2026-17309 Filed 8-24-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P


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