USDA Proposes Revisions to Mushroom Grade Standards

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is seeking public comments on its proposal to revise the United States Standards for Grades of Mushrooms.

AMS proposes to amend the standards to (1) add a grade for portabella mushrooms (2) remove size from the criteria for each grade and create a separate section for size, (3) revise the tolerances for defects - consistent with modern production and handling practices, and (4) update terminology, definitions, and defect scoring guides. These proposed revisions will ensure the standards align with current marketing trends and provide industry with uniformity when marketing mushrooms.

AMS works with industry representatives and others to establish or revise U.S. standards for nearly 240 agricultural products. Standards facilitate commerce by providing a common language for trade and a means of measuring value in the marketing of agricultural products.

The notice was published in the Federal Register on April 10, 2026. Comments are due by June 9, 2026. To view this publication, please visit www.regulations.gov. You can access the current mushroom standards at www.ams.usda.gov/grades-standards.

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