Reminiscences of a Fungi - John Miller

Everyone had their farms to run and couldn’t afford the time to be following up on these additional responsibilities
that needed attention. The twelve months I spent out in the field, talking to mushroom growers about their
problems, gave me a great deal of on the job experience particularly about what the AMGA members needed.

Paid Secretary Employed

John W Baker, the honorary secretary of AMGA became ill, had problems running his farm and trying to deal with
the problems of other AMGA members.

The AMGA decided to engage the services of a part time paid secretary to take the load off the executive
committee.

On the 30th May 1972 Mr Arthur Hutchens was employed two days per week on a part-time paid basis. The first
paid employee.

The Editor of the AMGA Journal reported in the May issue as follows:-

“Part Time Secretary Employed
From an amazingly high quality of ten runners the Association has chosen Mr. A.H. (Arthur)
Hutchens as its first professional Secretary. Arthur has retired (at 60) from his position as
Industrial Relations Director with Shell Australia. He is an associate of the Australian Society of
Accountants, and is still engaged in lecturing in Industrial Relations/Law in the Principles of
Management at the NSW Institute of Technology, having assisted in the setting up of the former
course.

He is to work with us for the present as for one day per week (average) on the agreement that if he
feels it is not working out this way he will raise the subject with the committee.

He is willing that his address should be regarded as the official one for the Association, and the
Association may list his telephone number as for the Association.

We believe he is the very man to fill a long felt need, and we welcome him most heartily.”

AMGA was on the move and more and more issues were demanding the attention of the AMGA Secretary. The
workload became enormous and impossible to handle in two days per week. Mr Hutchens, who was retired from a
job with Shell Australia, before joining the AMGA, didn’t want to go back to full time employment, so he resigned
and went on an overseas holiday.

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 95

John W Baker John Miller

John W Baker became President in 1972 and in his annual report of September 1973, which follows, you will note
he is feeling the effects of a heavy workload when Arthur Hutchens resigned.

John had to handle the positions of President and Secretary as well as run his mushroom farm Glenian Enterprises
Pty Ltd. John will speak in his own words in his Presidents report for 1972-1973 as follows:-

Marketing Board
This brings us to yet another point – Production. This year we have seen more mushrooms produced than any
previous year. At our meeting on 7th May a survey was taken of growers and it revealed that NSW would produce
9,482,00 lbs. Now this was without the figures of Blue Mist Mushrooms, so you can see we would perhaps have from
10,500,000 to 12,000,000 lbs. At this meeting we had a surprising number of growers attend, 84 in all. This meeting
was called for the purpose of discussion of the formation of a Mushroom Marketing Board.

Mr Ted Burgess, a lemon grower and a member of the Lemon Marketing Board, addressed the meeting. There was
much discussion to follow his address and a petition form was distributed to members to sign and these were
forwarded to the Minister of Agriculture for consideration. The minister has decided a Mushroom Marketing Board
may be desirable and a poll is to be taken. At writing, a government legal department is considering the definition of
a Mushroom Grower. As proposed by the Economics Department and this association it looks likely that the lists of
growers will be on display around the end of October. The reason for the list is for growers to inspect and lodge
objection if for arguments sake a name ‘John Citizen’ is on the list and John no longer grows mushrooms, then any
other grower whose name is not listed, he or she can contact the necessary department and be listed before the poll
is taken.

As this year progressed it seems we as an industry need a board, as prices, etc seem to be getting out of hand. What
with one cannery extending contracts and yet another not receiving for the first four months of 1974 with reductions
in prices as well, the Mushroom Grower is being squeezed so we need a little more power than just an association
and a board is just that power!

Appointment of Full Time Secretary/Liaison Executive

At our committee meeting of 21st August, it was decided by your committee to recommend to this annual general
meeting the appointment of a ‘Secretary/Liaison Executive’. This person at the time to be member John Miller. The

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 96

position of Secretary from the Association’s inception till last year was an honorary position, whilst I myself carried
out this position for some 5 years it became more and more demanding till it got to a stage where neither I nor any
member could be asked to carry it on any longer, so we advertised for a part time secretary. We engaged Mr Arthur
Hutchens for approximately 1 year, and then he went touring the world for 4 months and the position returned to
myself. To carry out the demanding duties with the approach of cuts in Cannery contracts, increases in imports,
tariff enquiries, marketing board etc. it is obvious we have to pay for someone to do these jobs and do them well.

The situation of Promotion has been ably carried out by John Miller who has spent many hours of business time
carrying out his duties. This and Secretary can no longer be carried out by firms or individual members so your
committee recommends the appointment of Mr John Miller to carry out both these positions. It is intended to dispose
of the services of our home Economist and John to do this duty as well. You will be asked tonight to vote ‘yes’ or
‘no’ to this proposal.

Note: The members voted yes to confirm the appointment at the AGM Sep 1973

A farm walk was held at Rob Tolson’s farm for the education and enlightenment of Press and Radio personalities,
which proved to benefit the industry.

The Bulletin this year has lagged owing to Norbert Flynn being unable to devote the necessary time to it. You all
know how little spare time you have after running your own business and Norbert is no exception. This brings me to
a point of regret. I would like to say not enough persons engage themselves in this Association, but sit back and
become critical of others. This is very easy- like some small growers say the Association only benefits the larger
grower. This Association is only as good as it’s members and must work like a marriage – give and take – and not
be critical of one another; or perhaps it’s like Taxation – equal to the larger income and smaller income bracket. So
fellow members – get behind your new president and Committee and help, not so far behind you’re out of sight but
right up tight!

To my Executive Committee may I say ‘Thank you’ and to Alf Nugan who comes over the mountain to every meeting
no matter how often, an extra ‘Thank you’.

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 97

To give you an idea of what our financial position was at the time a copy of our financial report

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 98

State Presentation

The next priority was to have interstate meetings to seek unanimous support for all growers. Meetings were held
in Melbourne with Victorian, South Australian and Tasmanian Growers and in Brisbane with Queensland Growers
in 1973. All these people were shown the promotional strategy that we were proposing nationally for point of sale
merchandising in stores, and National women’s magazine production via low cost PR.

The Committee of direction, known as COD was out first merchandising attempt in fruit & vegetable shops in four
states. All states were assured of fair and equitable treatment on their share of funds being shown as a % of their
contributions paid into AMGA funds.

All contributions were to be published in Annual reports. The AMGA Secretary/General Manager to have
confidential access to spawn Fund Account to ensure payments were being made regularly to meet our budgetary
commitments. This was eventually agreed to nationally.

The 1st national conference was held at the Travel Lodge Motel in Parramatta, Tuesday 1st October 1974, with
delegates representing all states of Australia except Northern territory. The AMGA had truly become a nationally
united organisation. From that day forward we were to hold a National Conference in each alternating year in a
different state of Australia after NSW as the inaugural National Conference venue.

The following members were elected:

Queensland B. Homan
Victoria H. Van Schajik
Tasmania B. Casimaty
South Australia G. Spiel
Western Australia N. Perrella

Guest speakers of international renown, where possible, were invited each year to address us on the latest
technology. Australian research scientists were invited to attend as guests of AMGA.

1970 – AMGA Short Course Conference at B&CRI, Rydalmere. Rob Tolson and Dr Jim Sinden of USA and Switzerland
Dr Lee Schisler (USA) and Dr Joe Hussey (UK) Guest Speakers

The first was Dr F Last (U.K)
Then followed Dr L. Kneebone (USA)
Dr F Hayes (UK)
Dr J Hussey (UK)
Professor Lee Schisler (USA)
Dr H Tschierpe (Switzerland)

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 99

Pieter Vedder (Holland)
Dr James Sinden (Switzerland)
John Peaker and Norman Barnard (UK)
Jan Gerrits & Jan Jannsson (Holland)

Where appropriate international guest speakers were offered as an option of a1st Class air fare on their own or
Economy if accompanied by their wife. This appeared to be a popular option as the speakers were very relaxed
having their wife with them on the visit. The wives were very well looked after by our ladies programme, that we
always had available for their enjoyment while the men were in conference.

Market agents and mushrooms farm suppliers subsidised many of the conference social activities.

The conference always provided a welcoming cocktail party for members and their ladies, as well as a farm walk
and farewell dinner dance. These functions were very much enjoyed and well attended.

There was always ample time to discuss cultural problems and form firm friendships with interstate members.
Each state branch held it’s own local meetings and social gatherings in between National and Board Meetings.
State directors put their local point of view to Board Meetings.

My job was to take the load off all other AMGA committee members so that they could concentrate on growing
quality mushrooms. AMGA had to be represented in the media for promotions; import problems; local, state and
federal government and negotiations; on AWU awards; and contact with mushroom grower Associations
internationally, plus research and development issues at Rydalmere.

AMGA National Office Established

Beryl was well known and respected by all the Food & Media people in the business. It would not be unusual for
me to be running around all day on AMGA business and in the evening Beryl and I would attend a function at Food
Media Club or at a technical college of students to represent AMGA and the Mushroom Image. We eventually
became known as “Mr & Mrs Mushroom”. Even if people couldn’t remember our names, they knew we were the
“Mushroom People”.

We were a great team working together. Promotion about the versatility and nutritional value of fresh Australian
Mushrooms was, and still is, the number one priority of AMGA, to help shift the ever increasing volume of
mushrooms produced as farms expand and better cultural techniques have been applied.

I provided personal attention to as many food, media and cookery people as I could possibly find. I personally
called and delivered mushrooms to the recipe test kitchens of the leading cookery editors of national women’s
magazines in Australia, such as Margaret Fulton and her daughter Suzanne Gibbs of ‘New Idea’, Ellen Sinclair and
Pamela Clark of ‘Australian Women’s Weekly’, Barbara Northwood of ‘Women’s Day’, Ethel Brice and Jennene
Plummer of ‘Family Circle’, Anne Marshall of ‘Hamlyn Cookbooks’ and ‘New Idea’, Jane Tennant of ‘Readers Digest’
and ‘The Australian’, Joan Campbell of ‘Vogue Living’, Marie McDonald and Leonie Harrington of ‘Sydney Sun
Herald’, Molly Dye of ‘Sunday Telegraph’ Weight Watchers Magazine.

The consumer service organisations such as Barbara Lynch, Doreen Andrews, Una Clarkson and Fay Green of
Sydney County Council, Lorraine Dorrington of Integral Energy, Betty Dunleavy and Jan Boon of Australian Gas
Company, Anna Phillips, Cheryl Goodman and Annette Forrest of the Fish Market, Sue Dodd of Sydney Market
Authority. Rosemary Stanton as our consultant handled the nutrition information.

We supplied mushrooms free of charge for the development of recipes and photography jointly with the Rice
Growers, Meat and Livestock Corporation, Wine Growers Association, Australian Dairy Corporation, Kraft Foods,
Vegetable Oils Pty Ltd, Eta Foods, Flora Margarine and cooking oils, Fish Marketing Authority, Fruit and Vegetables

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 100

Marketing Authority, Sharp, National and Sanyo Microwave ovens, Egg Marketing Board, Technical Cooking, Home
Economy Colleges and Barbecues Galore outlets Nationally, shopping centre cooking demonstrations with Bernard
King and many cooking appliance demonstrators too numerous to mention. Every possible opportunity was taken
to promote mushrooms.

In 1974 we invited 400 people from the members of the Catering Institute of Australia and representatives of the
above-mentioned food and media people. All of the food companies supplied products free of charge to jointly
promote their products with mushrooms served for lunch on our ‘Farm Walk’ on our old farm at Baulkham Hills,
now owned by Lilyvale Mushroom Company.

It certainly launched mushrooms into a whole new marketing area and demonstrated the versatility of mushrooms
and their compatibility with other food products. Mushrooms complimented these products by adding to their
taste appeal and not competing with their market. We were totally accepted in this role. Mushrooms were
included in recipe development and posters, magazines etc by these people.

I was a foundation member of the Food Media Club of Australia, representing AMGA.

I learnt an early lesson from Margaret Fulton who told me that the Apple and the Pear Corporation had launched a
multi million-dollar campaign to promote apples. A box of apples with some promotional information was sent by
courier to her office of ‘Women’s Day’ at the time. The box of apples was left downstairs at the reception desk, no
personal contact at all. After a few days the box of apples, or what was left turned up in her office. Margaret
assured me that she wouldn’t be giving any thought to promoting apples after such a poor public relations
exercise.

It became our policy that couriers for delivery of mushrooms to these people were to be used as a last resort. They
have no personality and they are not interested in developing the many opportunities that present themselves for
mushrooms promotion when you meet these food people personally in their own test kitchen and photography
studios.

Many times have I been able to have mushrooms included in food photography and recipes because I was there on
the spot. With minimal funds available this is the most effective way of low cost promotion in addition to point of
sale material.

Joint promotions were carried out with Woolworth’s and Coles supermarkets nationally with special recipe leaflets
being displayed.

Ray Ramsay of Custom Books in conjunction with AMGA produced the very successful ‘Mushroom Lovers’
Cookbook’. It was produced by us using some of the top professional people in the food, photography and recipe
development area.

Having worked with and observed the quality of the work done in the food and photography studios I was able to
select the best people for the job. Peter Johnson did the photography, Jennene Plummer developed the recipes
and Penny Farrell did the food styling for camera. Our objective was to make the kind of cookbooks that the buyers
wanted, ones, which looked so delicious and appetising.

The Mushroom Lovers Cookbook has been reprinted many times now and the circulation must have reached a few
hundred thousand by now.

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 101

“Meat for Vegetarians” Crew

Kevin Tolson, Anne Seymour and Fiona Latta

The last major promotion campaign I organised before retiring from AMGA as General Manager in December 1992
was the theme of ‘Meat for Vegetarians’, which became known as ‘Butcher Boy’ promotion. It was known as that
because we used a butchers shop at Double Bay for the set and dressed an actor as the butcher. Penny Farrell did

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 102

the food preparation for the TV, recipe and poster photography advertising. Roger Goldfinch was our advertising
agent who was engaged to have the production coordinated. We started the job at 5:00 pm and did the final
photography at 4:00am the next morning. It was one of our many successful promotions.

Another successful promotion for Radio and TV was the theme ‘Mushrooms The Taste For All Seasons’ with a
jingle. Even our grandchildren learnt it by heart.

The jingle was:

Mushrooms the taste for all seasons
Mushrooms got a taste of their own
Mushrooms for so many reasons
The taste sensational vegetable for all seasons

The idea was to get people used to eating mushrooms every day of the year. Taste and flavour were the highest
ranking in our consumer research at the time. They were low in calories and had nutritional benefits that were of
great appeal to people of all ages.

We had a Mighty Mushroom suit that I wore on TV and other promotions. I first wore at our conference at Leura
one year. Gemma Daley still remembers me scaring the kids.

Mushrooms eventually became accepted as a normal part of the shopping list for every day use in a multitude of
ways. Another one of our short slogans was ‘MMM Mushrooms Nutritious and Delicious’. People became
convinced that not only were mushrooms good for you, but they tasted great too.

We entered a float in the Hawkesbury parade in 1976 with a Mushroom growers daughter Anne Seymour as the
Mushrooms Princess, and two children Fiona Latta and Kevin Tolson dressed as pixies.

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 103

Research

The next major priority and always a great highlight was to seek greater support from the Victorian and NSW
Departments of Agriculture for specialist research and extension officers to assist mushroom growers in practically
applying existing known cultural techniques to their farm operations. This was essential to improve the quality of
Mushroom and productivity on the farm to compete with imports. There were many successful mushroom
growers in Australia at the time; however there was a great deal about our crop production methods that we did
not really understand to achieve optimum results. We had excellent overseas speakers at our conferences who
taught us a lot of fine-tuning of our cultural techniques.

B&CRI Rydalmere already had the Biology branch, under the direction of Dr

Lillian Frazer, who had initiated jointly with AMGA the appointment of Dr Tan

Nair in 1969 to look at the virus problems of mushrooms and this investigation

proved invaluable. AMGA had paid a third of the grant to engage Dr Nair, which

was provided by the Commonwealth Government and NSW Agriculture. On 12th

Feb 1969 It was resolved that Secretary J.W Baker was to approach the

Department of Agriculture with a view to possible Liaison between the Biology

Dr Tan Nair Department and AMGA, regarding scope of Dr Nair’s programme. On the

assumption that the department will agree to this arrangement the AMGA to

appoint Liaison Officer; the scope of these to be determined by committee and results of all work notified to all

members.

Initially the current president Rob Tolson and Secretary J.W Baker were appointed Liaison officers for the AMGA.
Dr Graham Evans and Chris Green carried on in later years as Director of Biology branch.

A screening of mushroom spawn system was eventually set up with spawn makers to monitor the possibility of
virus in spawn. Dr Peter Fahey developed an effective blotch control product.

Max Casimir, director of
Entomology, allocate Dr Alan
Clift in 1975 on a request by
AMGA to investigate pest
problems of mushrooms,
which he did superbly. He
set up the Integrated Pest
and Disease Management
scheme for growers and did
many chemical trials in the
mushroom growing test unit
(jointly funded by AMGA)
that was eventually installed
at Rydalmere.

Graham Gregory, Chief,

Division of Horticulture,

investigated the need for an

c1970 – John Baker c1970 – Rob Tolson extension officer in 1977,
and recommended it to the

Minister Mr Day. Graham Gregory was always a great supporter of AMGA and I worked closely with him when he

became Chairman of HRDC and the implementation of AMGA’s Research and Development programs. He was a

great mate of mine and his friendship was greatly valued as was his advice.

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 104

Mr John D. Baker became the first of three part time (with other vegetables) mushroom extension officers in
October 1977. Later on Mrs Judy Allan made an outstanding contribution in monitoring the trial rooms at B & CRI
Rydalmere and practical extension work full time with mushroom growers in 1982.

Geoff Price was the last person to hold the jointly funded 3 year position between AMGA, HRDC and the
Department of Agriculture of Mushrooms Industry Development Officer known as MIDO which was established in
March 1991 after Judy Allan had resigned and representations were made to Mr Kevin Sheridan , Director General
of Agriculture, NSW. He gave us excellent support in getting the best person for the job by allowing the position to
be advertised outside the department as well as inside.

Geoff Price had an excellent family background in the mushroom industry, having grown up on a farm, and a good
university education to support his knowledge.

Judy Allan 1991 – Geoff Price doing on-farm practical training on his first day as
Mushroom Industry Development Officer (MIDO) under joint
HRDC/AMGA Grant

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 105

1973 – John Miller

The Victorian Department of Agriculture gave us great help with Peter Jenkins at Burnley Gardens, Barry Macauley
and Dr Fred Miller at La Trobe who were working on compost odours. With all these people working cooperatively
together in all sections of the Department of Agriculture on mushrooms problems we were able to get efficacy
data together to support legal registration of chemicals for use in the mushroom industry approved by the national
Health and Medical Research Council in Canberra.

An R&D committee was set up so that priorities could be set for research programs and results were carefully
monitored. Funding for projects had to be arranged by AMGA contributions and matching grants from Federal
Government in Canberra.

Norm Johnson, First Chairman John Daley and Rob Tolson, R&D Committee Members Graham Price – R&D Chairman and
of Research and Development Committee Member

(R&D) Committee

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 106

Noel Arrold Ray Clark

Norm Johnson was the first Chairman of the research and Development Committee in 1982 which consisted of Rob
Tolson, John Daley, Ray Clark, Judy Shearer, Tan Nair, John Miller and Dr Alan Smith, Director of the Biological and
Chemical Research Institute at Rydalmere. The R and D Committee set out guidelines in 1982 at the first joint
meeting. Graham Price, Noel Arrold and Andrew Gulliver were to follow on making outstanding contributions as R
and D Chairman to Norm Johnson’s successful years establishing and implementing sound guidelines for R and D
projects as foundation R and D Chairman. The initial Research and Development guidelines set out in 1982, with
amendments later on were as follows:-

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 107

1982 Guidelines for the AMGA Research & Advisory Committee.

1. Structure

a) The Research & Advisory Committee to consist of a Chairman and up to eight members.
b) The Chairman report to the AMGA Board of Directors at the first board meeting following each

R&A Committee Meeting.

2. Eligibility

a) The members of the committee should be members of the AMGA.
b) Nominees should have extensive practical experience in the mushrooms Industry or have

suitable qualifications.

3. Appointment

a) Nominations for membership of the committee are to be taken from the floor of the AGM
followed by election of the committee by the AGM. The Chairman is to be elected by the
committee subject to guideline 1. (b)

b) This committee recommends that for continuity of the R & A Committee, the aim should be to
have committee members stand for a period of two years so that only half the committee is up
for election in any one year.

c) The committee is to also include up to four invited members of the Government Institutions. The
Advisory Officer (mushrooms) should be one of these,

d) The committee may invite other persons onto the committee as the need arises.
e) It is understood that the committee members of the R & A Committee are to serve the

Mushroom Industry as a whole.

4. Functions- To Receive, suggest, consider and make recommendations to the board of the AMGA on any
matters concerning-

a) Research, project development and their properties.
b) To Liaise with research and advisory workers during the establishment and execution of projects.
c) Funding the above.
d) Evaluate merit or potential of new products, materials, equipment etc. offered for trials in the

mushrooms Industry.
e) Monitor and follow up completed projects to ensure their practical application.
f) To suggest guest speakers for national Conference.
g) To make recommendations to the board including reason for such recommendations.
h) To have constant communication with the industry in the industry newsletter on research and

development matters.

5. Meetings

a) There should be at least four meetings per year with the first meeting being held within two
months of the National Conference.

b) The committee Chairman should ensure that the agenda items and relevant reports are
circulated to members at least two weeks in advance of each meeting.

6. Reports to AGM and Board

a) The R & A Committee Chairman should present an annual report to the AGM of the
Australian Mushroom Growers’ Association.

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 108

International Conferences and Congress

A great international highlight was when I received a letter from Qantas Airways in September 1974, one year after
taking the AMGA full time executive officer position, stating that the Executive Director of the American
Mushroom Institute, John Bovenkerk, suggested that I be contacted to consider AMGA making a bid to host the
next International Congress on mushroom sciences (ICMS). The Americans were prepared to support our bid with
their votes. John Bovenkerk asked Dr Leon Kneebone of Pennsylvania University in USA, who was the American
delegate to the International Commission on Mushroom Science to contact us about the bid.

Dr Kneebone informed us that he thought France was going to make a bid
for the next congress after the 9th congress in Tokyo, Japan in 1975.
However, he thought that Australia would be a popular choice and we
should approach the ICMS President Dr Peter Bels in Holland, with a firm
invitation proposal for our congress in Australia, if we were prepared to
assume the major responsibilities, which he considered were awesome.

1978 – L-R – Dr Pieter Bels, Chairman of Dr Bels was contacted with our proposed Congress bid and he replied
International Commission of Mushroom requesting certain guarantees including a declaration from our Federal
Science (ICMS), Holland and John Miller, Government that they will not exercise any discrimination to people of any
other country on political grounds who would attend the proposed ICMS
General Manager of AMGA congress in Australia. He was already having problems with the congress in
Japan due to Taiwan attending and the issue of what flags to allow because
of Mainland China’s objections. He was considering cancellation of the
Congress in Japan if these issues weren’t resolved. At the AMGA Annual
General Meeting in September in 1974, it was resolved that AMGA make a
bid proposal to be host country for the next ICMS Congress.

Many discussions were held with the Federal Government and Prime
Minister’s Department seeking the guarantees requested for the ICMS
meeting in Tokyo. The best we could eventually get was a letter from the
Minister in Foreign Affairs, Senator Willesee stating ‘That they would not
stop delegates coming to the Congress if they came as private individuals
and did not represent their government’.

Martial Lawson The ICMS Congress executive met in Tokyo, Japan in November 1974 to
consider the bids by France and Australia for the next Congress. Martial
Lawson and myself represented the Australian bid team along with Dr Tan
Nair.

The American and the Japanese were prepared to vote in favour of Australia when lobbying was going on. The
British delegation also said they would support our bid if we wished to push the issue, however I was advised by
the very diplomatic British, that as France is considered to be the mother of the mushrooms industry, it would be
wise to let France have the Congress in 1978 on the condition that Australia is guaranteed to be host country in
1981. It was better to have 6 years to prepare for a congress than 3 years.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief and resolved that France would be the host country for 1978 and Australia in
1981. The die cast was away and we went seeking financial support from our government, which we got through
the Australian Agricultural Council representing all states of Australia, because we were a truly national
organisation. We were given a grant of $20,000.

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 109

Dr Tan Nair 1978 – Dr Jacques Delmas, Chairman of the French 10th ICMS Congress presents
the flag of the Congress to John Miller and our XIth Congress Chairman, Marsh

Lawson in Paris, France

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 110

A very energetic Congress organising committee was formed for what was to be known as the 11th International
Scientific Congress on the Cultivation of Edible Fungi ISCCEF to cover the new exotic mushrooms now being
produced. Over the six years of preparation we attended the Congress in France and Conferences in Asia, Europe,
USA and Canada to promote the Australian Congress in 1981. Martial Lawson and John Miller were given the ICMS
flag in Paris in 1978 by the president, Jacques Delmas, to bring back to Australia when our congress bid was
accepted.

We put out a press release all over the Mushrooms world as follows:-

International Mushrooms Congress in Australia

The XIth International Scientific Congress on the Cultivation of Edible Fungi is now only a matter of months away.
The Congress will be held at the Wentworth Hotel in Sydney, from 14th to 19th August 1981. Theme of the Congress
is ‘Practical Mushroom Growing in the 1980’s’.

Chairman of the Organising committee, Mr M Lawson, said that at least 600 delegates are expected to attend, with
many coming from overseas. The Committee has called for papers for both the general sessions and Scientific
Programs. Final date for receipt of final papers is November 1980. Included in the registration cost will be copies of
“Mushroom Science XI”, containing presented papers, which will be available to participants during the Congress.

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 111

General Sessions Program

Mr J W Baker, Chairman of the General Sessions Committee, has emphasised that the program has been
developed for the mushroom grower, with nine sessions over three days:

1. Farm design and machinery.
2. Composting- phase I
3. Composting- phase II
4. Spawn and spawning.
5. Casing.
6. Cropping.
7. Pests and diseases.
8. Marketing.
9. Energy on the farm.

The final session on each day will be devoted to discussion.

Scientific Program

Chairman of the Scientific Program, Dr N G Nair, and his committee have developed a program based on 12 topics,
with some sessions to be run concurrently.

Scientific program topics:

1. Casing technology.
2. Composting technology.
3. Anthropod pests.
4. Cytogenetics and breeding.
5. Industrial mycology in relation to edible fungi.
6. Fungicide and insecticide resistance
7. Fruit body formation.
8. Biochemistry and physiology.
9. Mycorrhiza.
10. Pathogenic diseases.
11- 12 Biology of edible fungi.

Tours and Social Program

Cost of registration will also cover a mid conference farm tour and a number of social events. Several farms in the
vicinity of Sydney will be visited on Monday, August 17.

On this day a barbeque lunch has also been organised by the Social Committee at Paradise Gardens near Windsor.

Included in the social program are the opening ceremony, concert and cocktail party at the Sydney Opera House
on 14th August and the congress banquet at the Wentworth Hotel on 18th August. A range of optional scenic tours

will also be available.

Organising Committee (XI ISCCEF) Australia

Chairman M. Lawson

Convener, Scientific Sessions N.G Nair

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 112

Convener, General Sessions J.W. Baker
Members J.D Baker
A.D. Clift
Executive Officer W.J Greenhalgh
Administrator N. Johnson
W. Klepetko
J.W Miller
R. Tolson
H. Van Schajik
K.A Scheller
N.L Bishop

International Society For Mushroom Science (ISMS)

President P.J Bels (Holland)
Vice President J. Delmas (France)
Secretary/Treasurer K. Grabbe (Germany)
Members W.A Hayes (UK)
M.S Ho (Hong Kong)
Executive Secretary M. Lawson (Australia)
C.I Slack (Canada)
R.L Edwards (UK)

We had a great deal of assistance in know how from our mushroom friends all over the world, who had enormous
practical experience in running large Congress gatherings and knew the pitfalls. We were told that the previous
Congress had been too academic and were not catering for the practical applied work required by mushroom
farmers who were footing the bills.

The Congress book of proceedings were not being printed and distributed until one or two years after the Congress
Sessions were over. This was unsatisfactory and unacceptable to grower delegates. A lot of the papers submitted
were not completed until the congress started and lacked substance. All of these issues were addressed and for
the first time in the history of ICMS Congress the books of proceedings were printed and handed out in bound hard
covers, on the day the delegates arrived and registered in Sydney.

1981 – The ISCCEF Congress, Wentworth Hotel, Sydney. The opening ceremony was held in the
L-R – Pieter Vedder (Holland), Beryl Miller, Daphne and John Cox (Australia magnificent Sydney Opera House, with a
reception cocktail party on the forecourt
and Dr Klaus Grabbe (Germany) overlooking Sydney Harbour with the brilliant
sunset behind the Harbour Bridge in August
1981. The lights of the ferries were glittering as
they crossed the harbour.

Dr Jacques Delmas who led the French
delegation to Australia, commented as he
stood on a table after he tasted our Australia
red wine, that “this wine is so good that the
roots of the vines must go right through to
Bordeaux in France” – a back handed French
compliment. My friends in the Australian Wine
Society provided the wines.

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 113

The ISCCEF Congress in Sydney was an outstanding success and attracted 414 delegates and accompanying
persons. The congress was completed with no debts for AMGA who guaranteed it with start up funds. The
members of AMGA mostly travelled as a group overseas and attended many Congress and Conferences together.

In 1974, I, accompanied by an Australian delegation first went to the ICMS Congress in Japan and Taiwan. The
delegation were welcomed to Japan for the IXth ISCCEF Congress by the President of the Japanese organising
committee, Dr Kisaku Mori, who was the equivalent to a Prince of the Samurai of Japan.

Dr Mori built an enormous hotel in Kiryu, with a mushroom tower in
front for the accommodation of congress delegates and a
conference room with instant translation into English, French and
German from Japanese. (We learnt a lesson from this and provided
the same facilities in Sydney).

1974 – The Ixth ISCCEF Congress Japan – Left – Dr Dr Mori was a very wealthy man and owned the silk weaving mills
Kisaku Mori welcomes delegates to his “Mushroom and a huge spawn laboratory in his province. He took us out for an
evening’s entertainment in a coach. When we returned to the hotel,
Park” Hotel. Right hand side – John and Beryl which he owned, Hank Young shouted Dr Mori a drink of beer from
Miller the bar and all the Australians gave three cheers for Dr Mori.

I don’t think anyone had ever shouted him a beer before. He was so
thrilled by the warmth of the Australians, that he opened the bar for
the night as his return shout!

In 1978 I represented Australia at the ICMS Congress in France,
travelled around the Loire valley visiting mushroom farms and
machinery makers throughout France and then went on to England
and met Denis Lock, who was the executive Officer of the
Mushroom Growers Association known as MGA of the United
Kingdom.

In 1980 I attended the North American Conference in Toronto,

1974 – Dr Kisaku Mori’s “Mushroom Park”, Japan Canada and visited a number of farms both in Canada and went on
for the IXth ISCCEF Congress venue to the USA visiting growers in that area and meeting executives of
the American Mushroom Institute. We encouraged a lot of people to

come to our Congress from that particular congress.

In 1981 we had our ICMS Congress in the Wentworth Hotel in Sydney, and in 1987 we went to the International
Congress in Braunschweig in Germany, and at that time I had the opportunity of visiting a number of Dutch farms
with Pieter Vedder and seeing what the operations were like in Holland.

The contacts that we made overseas proved to be invaluable to the AMGA over the years. It gave me access to the
best people in the world who were involved in the mushrooms industry; they became great friends of ours. They
would make themselves available as guest speakers for our National Conferences and contribute papers to our
Congress. The experiences gained from these brilliant people and their conferences assisted us in winning our bid
to host the 11th ISCCEF Congress in 1981 in Australia and make a most memorable and outstanding success of it.

The international and local sale of our Congress books provided enormous funds for the AMGA.

AMGA Administration

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 114

The greatest highlight of all is the continuing success of AMGA and it’s achievement in being the most united
primary producer organisation in Australia.

The AMGA has been fortunate since it’s inaugural first meeting in 1961 to have forward thinking people who are
totally committed to the objects of the Association, even though they are competitors with each other in the
marketplace, working together on the Board of Directors and Sub committees, for the mutual benefit of all
mushroom growers in Australia.

The founders of the AMGA in 1961 had great vision and foresight in laying the foundations and objectives of their
organisation.

In 1988 Sandra Gregg became the first full time office assistant employed by AMGA to reduce the workload of the
General manager. Sandra took over the part time work previously done by Frances Biggs and Judy Randon.
However, the board of Directors required a person to be in the office 5 days a week on a regular basis. So the new
full time position was established. Sandra Gregg eventually grew into her new job, taking minutes at Board
Meetings as required by the General Manager. Sandra was always available to help members with their enquiries
and helped the General manager organise the National Conferences and print proceedings, conferences notes etc.
She made an outstanding contribution to the success of the AMGA.

1990 – AMGA Office at 2 Forbes Street, Windsor, NSW – R-L – John Miller, General Manager, AMGA, Beryl Miller and new staff Sandra
Gregg and Annette Bolenski

Annette Bolenski joined us as a junior to assist the office in various duties and assisting the editor in the production
of our Newsletter.

The AMGA purchased it’s own office building at 2 Forbes Street Windsor on 28th October 1988 and held it’s first
Board Meeting there on 21st February 1989, as the National Headquarters. It cost at the time $188,000 including
renovation expenses.

References
1. A.M.G.A Minute Books 1963 – 1989

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 115

2. A.M.G.A Research and Development (R&D) Reports 1982
3. XI th ISCCEF Congress Minutes 1978 – 1981
4. John Millers personal experience, 1967 - 1992

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 116

Chapter
9

COMMUNICATIONS WITH AMGA MEMBERS

It was resolved at a General Meeting on Friday 12th February, 1965, that a newsletter be substituted for minutes as
stated in the notice of motion of a previous meeting regarding the sending of minutes to all country members.
Publication was to be carried out for a trial period of 6 months and be compiled by Mr Norbert Flynn. If the project
proves to be successful then the publication will be extended indefinitely.

Norbert Flynn did a wonderful job at improving communications to members so that
they would have a greater understanding of what AMGA was all about. Norbert set a
great standard with his first Newsletter in 1965 and carried on until 1973. The title and
format changed over the years from a few foolscap sheets as a ‘Newsletter’ to a
smaller stapled booklet known as the ‘Journal’ of AMGA in September 1969.

Norbert Flynn Keith Morrison assisting Norbert for a few years and Noel Arrold making up the trio in
1970. Over the years there were many great contributors and coordinators for the
journal. They followed in succession or working and assisting jointly as follows,
upgrading the quality and presentation over the years:

Angus Latta Tan Nair
Rob Tolson Wally Klepetko
John D. Baker Brian Carroll
Ray Clark Judy Allan
Paul Powe Bradley Johnson
Annette Bolenski Kevin Tolson
Mick Daley Geoff Price

And also Bill Daley who carried on for about 15 years retiring in 2003 from “the Journal duties” and handing over
to Matt Khouri to carry on the tradition.

Noel Arrold Tan Nair Mick Daley Judy Allan Wally Klepetko Ray Clark

Kevin Tolson Paul Powe Rob Tolson Brian Carroll Geoff Price Bill Daley

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 117

Chairmen’s and Committee Reports!

The Presidents, Chairman and Committee Reports are a great source of Information of what were the major issues
at the time. I have inserted some extracts from these reports, these reports were a condensed form of
communications to members to inform them of what had or was about to happen to the Mushroom Industry in a
particular year.

Where are we and where are we going?

President Malcolm Manning was a very deep thinker and always came up
with great ideas for the benefit of AMGA. In his Annual Report of 1965, he
outlines the achievements of the past year and his suggestions for the future
planning for the organisation, as he commented at the time on the 24th
September 1965:

“At the outset, I am happy to assure you that as an Association we are more
solid and secure than ever before. We have now presented our organisation,
our aims and, indeed, ourselves, to the whole of the Mushroom Industry. This
has been done via three main mediums.

1961 – Mal Manning Firstly, the setting up of the Voluntary Spawn Contribution Fund, followed as
it was forwarding to all mushroom growers a circular, not only explaining the
VSCF but also what the AMGA has done in the past and a few of the things
that we hoped to achieve in the entire Industry were informed of our
existence and our activities.

Secondly, the creation of a monthly newsletter on our activities, not only for the benefit of members, but also for
interested or potential members or contributors to the VSCF. Here I must, on behalf of the Association, hasten to
acknowledge our deep and sincere gratitude to our acting Secretary, Mr Norbert Flynn, who volunteered to
undertake the entire production of this newsletter for a period of six months on a trial basis. In my view, this
newsletter has been brilliantly written and has done more to present, clarify, consolidate and promote our image
than any other single undertaking of the Association.

Lastly, but by no means meant last, our decision to hold a meeting in the Windsor area proved very successful.
Although, local growers did not largely attend this meeting, the news travelled fast- a deep impression was made,
and for the first time a true picture of our association was presented to the Industry in this area.

All this means that the necessary ground -work of our organisation is now completed and the green light is on for
clear sailing ahead. All we have to do now is to sincerely strive to serve the good of the industry as a whole and our
members in particular, and we cannot fail to grow in numbers and in stature to the point where we truly and fully
represent and reflect our Industry. More important, perhaps, to us as members it means that we can now devote
our time increasingly to more interesting and rewarding topics at our general meetings.

Our third Royal Show Exhibit was again a huge success and surely no one can deny the enormous effect our
promotion and publicity has had on the supply and demand position of our product. My thanks again to all those
members who manned the exhibit and to the mighty work of the Committee and, in particular, Mr Baker, whose
efforts all combined to make it such a success. Here again I must hasten to acknowledge the great debt owed to
Martial Lawson by every man – inside or outside the Association – who has ever grown and sold a pound of
mushrooms. Martial’s unceasing personal efforts have been almost entirely responsible for any success in
promotional activities claimed in the name of the Association, and on behalf of the Association, Martial, I gratefully
acknowledge our debt to you. In this field, I think, perhaps, the climax of your achievements in this past year could

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 118

be your successful negotiations with the ABC in securing a documentary film on the Industry, which you graciously
presented, to Congress and the country at large in the name of the AMGA.

Four of our members-Messrs, Lawson, Thomas, Harris and Griffin, attended the sixth International Congress in
Amsterdam in May and we gratefully acknowledge the fact that they went there as ambassadors and
representatives of our Association, even though we could give them no financial assistance, and I trust that we can
have an even larger contingent at the next Congress in Germany in 1968.

During the year also, we conferred our first Honorary Life Membership on Mr Dave Pulsford and I am sure all
members would wish me to extend their congratulations to Dave for being the first to receive this honour.

Five new members have been accepted during the year and several others are pending.

Finally, on behalf of my executive committee, as well as myself, I would like to leave you with five suggestions,
which I trust the newly elected committee will give immediate consideration to:

1. We feel we have reached the stage where the work of our secretary can no longer be expected to be done
on an honorary basis and that arrangements must be made for his adequate remuneration.

2. That the Secretary should be made a member of the Business Men’s Club and his membership fees paid by
the AMGA.

3. The expansion of the monthly newsletter should be considered.

4. Now that the responsibility to conduct all the normal business for the Association has been transferred to
the executive committee, adequate measures should be taken promptly to fill the gap and organise general
meetings of interest.

5. Consideration should be given to the appointment of an outside auditor at an early date, as the volume of
VSCF money is becoming more complicated and time consuming.

In conclusion, I would like to thank all members, and particularly my executive Committee, for their loyal and
vigorous support throughout the year and trust that you will all have a happy and successful year to follow.

Huge Membership Increase

David Pulsford was one of the foundation members of AMGA and did a lot of
work getting the organisation up and running well. He is becoming concerned at
the increase in imports and in his Presidents Annual Report 1965/66 he is
pleased with the increase in membership of AMGA when he states:

“An increase in over 40% takes membership of the Association over fifty. Whilst
this increase has not been reflected in meeting attendance it is still gratifying to
see so many members prepared to travel considerable distances each month to
attend meetings.

The program of general meetings, lectures, discussions and farm walks
continued similarly to previous years. A popular innovation was a series of visits
to manufacturing plants outside the Mushroom Industry.

David Pulsford The possibility of large increases in importations of canned Formosan

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 119

Mushrooms has worried members during the year. The committee was involved in many additional meetings and
deputations in attempting to resolve the problem with the greatest advantage to growers. The department of
Trade has given some indication of the magnitude of permissible imports and the Association’s conduct of the
negotiations has brought considerable status to the industry. This problem of Formosan Mushrooms will require
watching – as will any related side effects of a more local nature.

The past year has been a good one for promotion and public relations. It is not easy to maintain a high level of
publicity without spending relatively large amounts of money and we are fortunate that Martial Lawson brings a
pleasing blend of enthusiasm and skill to this work.

The Spawn contribution Fund continues to operate satisfactorily and will enable the Association to plan promotion
and research on a longer-term basis. However such financial contributions by members are perhaps a minimum
responsibility. I find it incomprehensible that the fresh market remained undersupplied for much of the year. We
profess to be planning for the future and it is absurd to ignore the present. Perhaps the new committee can solve
this problem.

Only a member of the Committee can appreciate the amount of work it does in a year. Members have contributed
many hours and much good advice. May I specifically refer to our Secretary Norbert, with his competence at
everything from newsletter writing to everyday administration, has transformed us into a very professional
organisation.

To all the Committee my thanks for the pleasure of working with you all and may I wish all growers a trouble free
season.”

AMGA Newsletter Report

Editor Norbert Flynn covered as a Heading “Promotion 1971- A National Effort”

The enormous success of the Sunday Telegraph mushroom supplement in April last,
told us that for money spent, this is the very best form of promotion.

The Australian Women’s Weekly, as every woman knows, publishes from time to time

a 16 page full colour ‘lift out’ supplement promoting various food products. The

Australian Meat Board and the Australian Dairy Produce Board are two organisations,

Norbert Flynn which regularly buy these supplements. The cost to any one promoter for the whole
booklet is $30,000. To buy an individual page costs $2,200. Can it be worth it? The

repetition buying of it says that it is. Why?

1. The Women’s Weekly has a circulation of 860,000 copies.

2. It goes to all states of Australia and it is safe to say that no woman in Australia is unfamiliar with it, and that
very few copies are not read by several women.

3. Their own survey has revealed that a very large percentage of these supplements are kept for future
reference in the home after the magazine itself has been destroyed.

Knowing all these things, John Miller had the hardihood to approach the Weekly to see what can be done for us,
and as much to his own surprise as to anybody’s, he has extracted the undertaking that, subject only to us being
able to sell two pages, the “Weekly” will publish a mushroom supplement for sale on 24/3/71-Week (29/3/71 to
2/4/71). John has already sold one page to one of our big processors, and is confident of placing at least the other.

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 120

Of course, to make the thing really go in all states, it will be necessary for people in each state to undertake the
sort of voluntary servicing and urging that go to make this type of thing flare into a great movement. The co-
operation of the electricity and gas distributors will have to be sought and mushrooms supplied for the cooking
demonstrations. Efforts will be made to have the canners arrange both for “in store” demonstrations and for the
offering of their products as specials in each state during Mushroom Week.

OUR PUBLIC RELATIONS CONSULTANT

We were sorry indeed that a sharp deterioration in health has forced Miss Nona Paterson to cut down heavily on
her commitments and that her service to us is one of the casualties.

We are fortunate however, that John Miller has been able to secure the services of Marie McDonald to succeed
her. Miss McDonald is a graduate home economist and began her professional experience with David Jones’ Home
Advisory Bureau, under Del Cartwright, and then moved to J. Walter Thompson, first as assistant to, and then in
succession to, Margaret Fulton as Senior Home Economist. During all this time, she was developing her very wide
contacts with cooking writers and journalists, so that she is well equipped to place recipes and new items in
women’s columns throughout Australia. She will, in fact, be doing this in all states.

Miss McDonald has also had considerable experience on radio and television.

She left J. Walter Thompson after seven years to become Public Relations Consultant to the Nestle Organisation,
and is just now leaving them to employ her wide experience and contacts as a freelance. So that we catch her at
this critical time when she will be putting forth all her considerable energies and talents in this new beginning.

She will be retained by the Association on a 4-day-a-month basis.

“MUSHROOM WEEK” – 29/3/71 TO 3/4/71

To get some firm to co-sponsor the Women’s Weekly Supplement (out 24/3/71) with Edgells was not easy. Old
associations had to be called on finally to persuade Vegetable Oils Pty Ltd (Daffodil Margarine) to fill the gap.

The editorial space will be filled largely with recipes. These will be produced and tested by Mrs Ellen Sinclair, the
Weekly’s home economist.

Marie McDonald will have written by now to various people – journalists, electricity distributors, gas companies
etc, in all states, enclosing our current recipe booklet and sketching nutritive values and suggesting to them, when
appropriate, that we hope some local grower or group of growers will contact them about supplies of mushrooms
for demonstrations etc (or as a persuader for copy). There must be good value in this. In Sydney these measures
are in hand. What about other metropoles?

Miss McDonald has had the co-operation of the Senior Extension Supervisor of the Department of Agriculture in
obtaining radio time. Again there will be emphasis on nutrition. These recordings may be restricted to Regional
Stations but not necessarily confined to NSW.

Viewing may also come up on ABC. The approach has been made, and the offer tentatively accepted, and the
hope is that nothing of urgent news value at the time displaces it.

The big fresh news for NSW is that the Sun Herald will also produce a supplement (similar to last year’s Sunday
Telegraph) on 28/3/71. Growers can help in selling space by providing leads from the lists of firms with whom they
deal and particularly they can themselves advertise their own brand names. The man to contact is Kevin Halse on
20 944 extension 2690, where he is available during the mornings and indeed all day whilst he is working on this
supplement during the fortnight ending 5/2/71. The supplement will be in the metropolitan edition only, but this
with a circulation of 400,000 covers out to the Blue Mountains, to Gosford-Wyong, and to Wollongong-Moss Vale.

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 121

The rates average $12.50 an inch and the retail rate, ie for someone using his own address and offering his own
goods is $10.85. Mr Halse says he already has had some success.

You are urged to get in touch directly with Kevin Halse, who will be anxious to talk to you, rather than with John
Miller, as we must appreciate that while this is Mr Halse’s living, John is doing his stuff for all, and is bearing a
disproportionate burden in this publicity. However, if you want to advertise, or if you have some good prospects
to offer, and you do have difficulty in contacting Mr Halse, John would prefer that you contact him rather than let
the matter slide.

Leonie Harrington will be introducing in the “Sun” some time before Mushroom Week the just now conceived idea
of a mushroom fondue. What’s that? You ask. You are not the first to ask. Apparently the original fondue was a
dish made of grated cheese, melted with eggs, butter etc and used traditionally in the French-speaking cantons of
Switzerland in the celebrating of engagements. Apparently the guests cook their own fondues in specially
provided pots in a ceremony symbolising well wishing

We await with interest.

MUSHROOM PROMOTION GOES NATIONAL

(Reprint from Market Industries News, March 1971 – by journalist Cliff Ryan)

The Australian Mushroom Growers’ Association this month launched its biggest ever promotion campaign aimed
at popularising commercially-grown mushrooms on a national basis.

Highlight of the promotion will be National Mushroom Week from March 29 to April 3.

This will be backed by the week before by a lift-out booklet in the Australian Women’s Weekly (circulation
800,000) and a supplement the same weekend on mushrooms in the “Sun-Herald” (which has the largest
circulation of any newspaper in Australia).

Full pressure will be turned on housewives during the week itself through all recognised food promotion channels.

Shopkeepers are therefore advised to buy larger canvas bags for the extra cash they’ll be “laughing all the way to
the bank with” in National Mushroom Week.

Moving Force

Mainly responsible for planning the massive sales drive is Johnny Miller a mushroom grower of Baulkham Hills.

Johnny is the AMGA’s honorary promotions and liaison officer.

Mrs Marie McDonald, a top bracket home economist and professional public relations
expert are assisting him this year.

Marie started her professional career as a food adviser with David Jones and grew up
with the big names now sharing the headlines in the industry. She was last with the
Nestles organization before becoming a freelance.

John Miller One of her current assignments is Budget-Shopper for Woolworth’s.
The Mushroom Growers’ Association was indeed fortunate to win the talented Marie.

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 122

Touching briefly on the state of the industry, Johnny Miller told “Market Industries News” that fewer mushrooms
had been grown this year mainly because of weather conditions. The main production was coming from air-
conditioned “farms”.

As this issue went to press there was actually a scarcity of top grade mushies and prices at the market were higher.

Said Johnny: “We’ve picked March 29 to April 3 as the big week to flog mushroom sales.

There’ll be more than enough to go around. We’ve proved in the past that sustained promotion pays off.”

Referring to the 16-page lift-out due to appear in the Australian Women’s Weekly, Mr Miller said the industry
could not have afforded such an expenditure.

The cost of a full-colour page advertisement in the publication is $2,000, which means the lift-out is worth more
than $300,000.

It’s like a free gift to mushroom growers, he said.

Edgells Helped

Mr Miller said that when the proposition of the lift-out was first put to him by Ellen Sinclair of the “Women’s
Weekly”, he had approached Edgells and Vegetable Oils for advertising, which had defrayed the printing costs.

Peter Jones, President of the MGA, has asked for several thousands of extra copies of the
lift-out to be run off for distribution through retailers. A good thought Peter!

Mr Miller said the Association needed extra sales this year to help its research programs.

Through a levy on spawn, it shares with the Department of Agriculture and the CSIRO, the Peter Jones
cost of bringing overseas scientists to Australia to study the diseases of mushrooms.

It can be truthfully said of MGA members that they are “industry-minded” rather than
“fortune hunters”.

National Mushroom Week will get off to a flying start on March 29 through Channel 10.

In her popular morning show, Barbara Lynch will interview a grower and a distributor on day
one. Cooking demonstrations, using mushrooms, for the rest of the week, will follow this.

Barbara will alternate with Doreen Andrews on Channel 10’s morning show.

Additionally, there will be cooking demonstrations featuring mushrooms in the Sydney Martial Lawson
County Council’s ten demonstration kitchens.

These are at Bankstown, Bondi Junction, Burwood, Chatswood, Crows Nest, Hornsby, Kingsford and Sutherland.

Betty Dunleavy (Australian Gaslight Co), Barbara Lane (Mackellar County Council), Joyce Haggarty (St George
County Council), Mrs Muir (Prospect County Council) and the Egg Board’s “Margaret Jane”, will also feature
mushrooms during the special promotion.

The supermarkets that spend at least $1,000 a week promoting fresh fruit and vegetables will also swing their
powerful weight behind mushrooms.

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 123

Marie McDonald has played a hand in all promotional fields as well as writing a series of articles for newspapers on
the virtues of the mushroom.

(Editor’s note: This article provides much valuable coverage for us. The only two minor errors are corrected here
for those who might be somewhat out of touch with the Association’s doings:

1. Peter Jones is our Immediate Past President
2. The spawn levy has not to date shared in the cost of bringing overseas scientists to Australia. The

subscriptions of those attending Short Courses have financed these visits.)

AMGA Logo

In July 1972, the AMGA Secretary, Arthur Hutchens, organized a competition to draw a symbolic logo for AMGA at
Oakhill College and Cheltenham Girls High School. A prize of $20 was awarded to the winner Miss Robyn
Thompson of Cheltenham Girls High School.

Only AMGA members were permitted to use the logo on their packaging.

Imports of Mushrooms from Asia and Canneries Reducing Contracts prompts
urgent action for promotion and a Marketing Board is being considered

In his President’s Report of 1973, Martial Lawson commented as follows:-

“Looking back over the years since the Australian Mushroom Growers’
Association first came into being, members can be justly proud of its
achievements. I would like to quote an extract from a report prepared by
our previous Secretary, Arthur Hutchens, who, prior to taking the position
with the AMGA was chief industrial officer for the Shell Oil Company.

“There is probably no industry of comparable size in Australia which has
undertaken on its own initiative either the Research arrangements or the
Short Courses developed by the AMGA”.

If we look at the objectives of the AMGA as set out in the constitution, all
have been achieved with the exception of the mutual buying objective.

As a national body the AMGA is entering a new era and it has become apparent to the committee that a new
constitution needs to be drawn up to give the association a wider base so that it can function as other business
associations do.

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 124

As far as the NSW mushroom industry is concerned, 1973 will probably go down on record as the most difficult
year the industry has ever faced. The Association marshalled all of its forces in a valiant promotion campaign in
order to shift the large quantities of mushrooms that appeared on the fresh market.

The injection of $13,000 into a special promotion fund by growers plus the untiring efforts of John Miller and Peter
Jones turned a disastrous situation into an outstanding success. However, it has to be realised that the Sydney
Markets are not a bottomless pit. As more mushrooms swell the market some other approach will have to be
made in order to bring the situation under control.

Although the AMGA can carry out promotion campaigns it cannot control the production or pricing of mushrooms.
No industrial undertaking would consider producing quantities of goods without effective marketing. Marketing
means market surveys, promotion and arriving at a price that will give a fair return on invested capital.

The Government has recognised this problem and has provided legislation for the introduction of “Marketing
Boards”. An idea definitely supported by investigations made into the subject by the previous AMGA Committee.
Not only will the “Marketing Board” control price adjustment but it will also prevent one grower with a large
capital backing from taking over the industry, by rapid expansion and underselling. Admittedly, some boards in the
past have failed, but many lessons have been learned and today there are more and more boards being formed
and operating for the benefit of the primary producer.

Advice has just been received that a poll will probably be held about the 8th January next year. If a YES vote is
recorded the election of Board Members will be held in March, and the Mushroom Marketing Board will begin
operation shortly afterwards.

The other major problem the industry has to face up to is the rapid increase in imported champignons from Asia.
Many NSW growers have had their cannery quotes drastically cut. Some growers are producing at less than half
capacity. The Committee is treating the matter with the utmost urgency and by the time this journal reaches you
some definite answers should be forthcoming from the Commonwealth Government regarding their attitude to
raising tariffs or applying a quota on imported mushrooms from all sources. With a “Marketing Board” we would

be in a much better position to assure the Government our own house was in order, that we had rationalised
our production and our problem was not one of oversupply.”

Meetings with Government re Imports and Taxation; Unions re awards; canners
re price increase for mushrooms

There were a whole new lot of issues starting to arise in the mushroom industry. In his President’s report of 1974,
Martial Lawson commented that:-

“I would firstly like to thank the Committee for their assistance throughout this most difficult year.

There have been 18 Committee Meetings; many were called at very short notice. The general rule has been to
have every Tuesday free in case a meeting was called!

Besides attending Committee meetings these men have made themselves available during the day to attend to
association business, for example – meetings with the Employers Federation, AWU, Canners, The Temporary
Assistance Hearing, Preparation of the Industries Assistance Commission case, these are just a few of many that
have been dealt with.

Your Committeemen have unhesitatingly given their time plus a tremendous amount of mental energy to this
association at a time when their own farms could ill afford to be without them.

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 125

The many problems this association has faced and overcome this year could not have been achieved without the
effort of these men.

Our Committee meetings have been characterised by their lack of formality. There have been plenty of free
ranging discussions before any policy decisions have been made. Your association is most fortunate to have men
of this calibre to serve as committeemen.

John Miller, serving his first year as Secretary and man of all seasons has performed a Herculean task. Speaking for
all of those who worked closely with John I would like to say – “Thank you John” for the great effort you have put
into your job.

I would briefly like to list a few of the high points of the year that the association has dealt with:

1. Taxation Department’s new “Depreciation” schedule for the Mushroom Industry.

2. Negotiations with the canners resulting in a price rise to 40c per lb for the industry.

3. Representations to the government regarding the flow of imports of canned mushrooms, culminating
firstly in the holding of the Temporary Assistance Inquiry, which was rapidly followed by the current
Industries Assistance Commission.

A year ago terms like 20%-30% inflation, energy crisis, fuel and material shortages, imports of canned mushrooms
outstripping local processed mushrooms, TAA, IAC, double dissolution of parliament – Mitchell Allan Cadman –
AMGA negotiating prices with processors were unknown. Today they are very familiar and in a way – old hat.
These are things that we have learnt to live with.

New terms like $2.41 per hour for pickers, unionism in the mushroom industry, and as the weeks go by new terms
(and each representing a mini crisis) will crop up. I am sure the new Committee will handle each of these problems
competently if it has the growers support that our committee has received this year.”

An increase in Spawn Contribution Levy from 10c to 20c gave AMGA a financial
shot in the arm to be more effective

In his Treasurer’s report for 1974, George Johnson is pleased with grower support
as he said at the time:-

“As we come to the close of another year of our Association, it is most
heartening as retiring Treasurer, to have had the assistance of John Miller in his
first full year as our Secretary/Manager. It has been a creditable year for John
and my congratulations go to him for the way he has handled all of the
Association’s business of the past year.

My thanks also go to Martial Lawson for his prolonged efforts in our
representation before the Temporary Assistance Authority and the Industries
Assistance Commission. The spawn levy in the nine months since the per quart
contribution was raised from 10c to 20c has returned the Association $34,000 showing that all users of spawn have
been ‘playing the game’. Thirty four thousand dollars was above the contemplated figure for 1973-74. It is hoped
that this will again occur for the coming year.

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 126

My thanks go to all growers for their promptness of spawn levy and subscription returns so that the endeavours of
the association regards promotion, research and administration could be achieved.”

John Miller’s first year as Secretary of AMGA

When trying to take the load off my fellow committee members who were trying to grow mushrooms, I tried to
cover the issues in my first Secretary’s Report in 1974.

The 1973-74 year marks the end of one of the most intensive years of business experience by
a Committee of this Association. The enormous amount of time and effort that has been put
into the varied problems of the mushroom industry the Committee and its capable chairman
– Martial Lawson – must be a record.

As Secretary, I have been in an excellent position to observe the unselfish manner in which
these men have given up valuable time from their own farms to fight for the mushroom
industry as a whole, and not for their own personal gain, whenever the occasion arose.

Among the most important things dealt with during the year were meetings dealing with:-

1. A Marketing Board – that was eventually voted against (45 for and 74 against – JM)

2. Tariff Board inquiries that are still proceeding but should show a positive result in the next four to six
weeks.

3. Conference held with top management executives of four canneries separately and then together finally
achieving an increase of ten cents (10c) from the lowest, to five cents (5c) per lb from the highest contract
canner. This became an overall price of forty cents (40c) per lb paid by canners for the 1974 year. This
means that all growers received a minimum increase over last year’s prices of $300,000 (three hundred
thousand dollars).

4. Discussions with an Agricultural Consultant to carry out a cost of production survey of the mushroom
industry so that rational recommendations may be made to canners of the prices required by growers for
a contract to supply for a set period.

5. Negotiating an agreement with unions concerning our industry and arriving at an award for employees
that is satisfactory to both employer and employee. This matter should be finalised in the next few
weeks.

A total of eighteen (18) Committee Meetings were held during the year and attendance by Committeemen were as
follows:

M Lawson 18 J van Dorresteyn 17
N Flynn 18 A Nugan 16
R Tolson 15 G Price 14
J Baker 15 G Johnson 13
N Arrold 13

The Spawn Levy Contribution Fund received its best results ever, thanks to growers being realistic and supporting
their industry in the only way possible to ensure that we survive and increase sales. That is by spending money on
promotion and merchandising services, and on research to present a disease and insect free product well
packaged for the consumer. First class produce will always sell well and command a top price. It will encourage
people to buy it again and more regularly, knowing they can rely on the quality and continuity. This must

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 127

eventually reduce the sales of imported canned mushrooms as nothing can beat the natural goodness of
unprocessed fresh mushrooms.

We are very grateful to the spawn makers who have been collecting the spawn contributions and paying it in to
the trust account regularly each month. This makes it much easier to budget and meet the heavy financial
commitments that have to be met each month. Their help is very much appreciated.

For the first time we have been able to separate each state’s income and expenditure in relation to spawn monies
and this will certainly make it easier to budget for the future.

Promotion:

Mushroom Week was held in March this year and was spontaneously supported by our very good friends in the
Electricity and Gas Authorities, newspapers and television; national coverage was achieved through the colour
pages in “Woman’s Day”.

Bernard King, the TV personality, has been doing a continuing promotion all around Australia in regional shopping
centres. He has been demonstrating to housewives how easy mushrooms are to serve raw in a French dressing
marinade.

The Australian Meat Board have printed 9,000 beautiful colour posters of steak and barbecued flat mushrooms, to
be distributed to butcher shops all over Australia.

Mushroom cookery was well represented at the International Catering Trade Fair in Sydney during May. The Rice
Marketing Board co-operated with us on their stand and cooked mushrooms and rice dishes for five days, handing
out taste samples to chefs and caterers visiting the show. Fast Food Equipment Co also demonstrated deep
pressure-cooking in oil of mushroom snacks.

There is a public relations day planned for October this year and we expect to entertain 300 guests on a “Farm
Walk”. The guests will comprise of government representatives of Australia and NSW State parliament, local
government, gas and electricity authorities, Department of Agriculture, radio and TV personalities, and newspaper
food writers, executive chefs from leading hotels and restaurants, catering managers and food school teachers.

The product of other food companies and marketing board will be supplied and cooked with mushrooms to
demonstrate the fact that “mushrooms go with everything”. This will be a cooperative effort to keep costs down
and every company will be supplying recipe leaflets with tested recipes using mushrooms with their particular
product. The effect of this exercise should be:-

1. Greater recognition of the progressive attitude of mushroom growers and their technologically advanced
industry by government officials at all levels.

2. Wider range of dishes for all year round use of mushrooms in hotels, restaurants, airlines, railways, armed
forces and other catering institutions. Our valued regular customer “the housewife” will be further
informed on the hygienic conditions under which mushrooms are grown, their nutritional value and new
ways to use and the fact that they are available every day of the year. This will be achieved by our
enthusiastic newspaper journalists and other media people together with the demonstrators of gas and
electricity authorities’ showrooms who have been the greatest friends the mushroom industry have had.

I would like to take this opportunity of thanking each and every member of this Association for the help and co-
operation they have given me during this busy year.”

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 128

More And More Diverse Issues Raised Their Heads And Had To Be Dealt With. In
my Secretary’s Report to the Annual General Meeting in 1975, I highlighted the
following facts:-

Membership

The membership of the AMGA, as at 30th June 1975 consists of 78 grower members who represent 71 mushroom
farms throughout Australia. There are 6 Honorary Life Members and 6 Honorary Members. We have 7 Associate
Members who represent firms supplying goods or services to the mushroom industry and 1 affiliated member
from New Zealand.

Executive Committee

The Executive Committee met 14 times during the past year and the attendances were as follows:-

N. Johnson (14); G Price, M. Lawson (13); R. Tolson, A. Latta, P. Parland, J. van Dorresteyn (12); J Baker, P. Jones
(11)

Import Restrictions

The President, Rob Tolson, together with Immediate Past President, Marsh Lawson, Committeeman Norm Johnson
and the Secretary J. Miller, visited our national capital Canberra, to have discussions with the Australian Farmers’
Federation, Australian Government Departmental Officers and Members of Parliament, concerning tariff and
quota restrictions on imported mushrooms.

Top-level talks were held with many members of the Australian Government and the Opposition, including Mr
Malcolm Fraser, leader of the Opposition, and his senior shadow ministers. The results achieved of a 25% tariff
were far from satisfactory and without the quota restriction requested will do little to help us at the moment.
However, we’ll keep trying.

Union Claims

Emergency meetings were held with the members of our committee, the Employers Federation and the Australian
Workers’ Union on a number of occasions to reach agreement on wage claims for mushroom farm workers.
Considering the huge increases gained by workers in other industries, the mushroom grower came out reasonably
well, even though we can’t afford any increases.

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 129

Cannery Negotiations

Improved relations between mushroom growers and the canners appear to have been achieved, after the various
get togethers and discussions at the canneries and on the farms, by both parties, to their mutual satisfaction. It
looks like some of the canners want us to stay in business a little longer.

Promotion

The promotional activities of the AMGA were dealt with

extensively in last month’s issue of the Journal and we are

grateful for the continued, valued support of the home

economists of the city, suburban and country newspapers,

national women’s magazines, gas and electricity authorities,

primary producer marketing boards and the equipment

manufacturing companies who use mushrooms in their cookery

demonstrations. The COD Group and its state promotion officers

have done a wonderful job erecting mushroom posters in shops

during the year. Bernard King continues to spread the word to

his audiences on the beautiful crisp flavour of “fresh” raw Bernard King – Live Cooking Demonstration to the
mushrooms marinated for salads and summer meals. If the public

quality, presentation and continual supply of “fresh” mushrooms

are maintained, then we must put the brake on the flood of imports eventually.

Research Committee

The Research Committee have had meetings at Rydalmere during the year with Dr Graham Evans, Director of
Biological Research, BCRI. Dr Evans directs, among many other activities, the mushroom research work of Dr N G
(Tan) Nair. As mushrooms are the third highest in value among vegetable crops, Dr Evans is seeking greater
financial support for better facilities at Rydalmere.

Dr Nair has trials being carried out on

1. Spent compost
2. Bacterial Blotch
3. Utilising combinations of rice bulls or blue metal or perlite with spent compost as
a casing material.

Dr Tan Nair Dutch-type combinations using sedge peat are about to be tried for a possibly suitable
casing material. Dr Nair realises the urgency of these trials that are costing the industry
thousands of dollars and he is putting every effort into achieving early practical results.

International Congress on Edible Fungi

As France has now indicated to us that the 10th International Congress will be held in Paris and Bordeaux during
April 1978, then this means that the commitment we made in Tokyo, Japan last year to host the 11th Congress in
Australia, will be put into effect in 1981. This is indeed a great honour for Australia. It will involve a tremendous
amount of work and will need the cooperation of many people, growers and government.

Short Course 1976

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 130

Negotiations are being carried out to hold a short course during July 1976. It is hoped that we will have the
services of a leading Dutch mushroom teacher, Pieter Vedder from the School in Horst, Holland if he can manage
to spare the time, to fly out here and be our guest lecturer.

It should be a most rewarding short course. Our active committeeman Joe van Dorresteyn has recently returned
from Holland has done all the groundwork in making the preliminary arrangements, after observing the wonderful
practical results our intended guest lecturer is achieving.

Appreciation

My sincere thanks go to our dedicated Executive Committee, capably led by President Rob Tolson, for the co-
operation I have received throughout the year. Angus Latta has been of tremendous assistance, as minute
secretary, during meetings and has lightened the load significantly when there is so much to be discussed.

I apologise to members for the number of questionnaire forms that have been sent out this year. I am grateful to
those members who have filled in the forms and returned them promptly, thus helping me carry out my duties
more efficiently, and give accurate estimates of facts and figures concerning the industry, who’s interests I
represent, at government inquiries and investigations. I am sure many members must be experts at filling in forms
now, it only seems like a few days since I’ve sent out an inquiry and then the replies start rolling in. It’s certainly
rewarding work with a group who are so actively aware of the needs of their industry.

Your co-operation is very much appreciated.”

Secretary’s Actions Questioned?

As President of AMGA in 1975, Graham Price received phone calls from
AMGA members questioning him on the activities of John Miller as Secretary.

This is a normal thing, particularly when some members don’t bother
coming to meetings. Graham wrote in his Annual Report the following
comments in 1975:-

“Many growers have often asked me how John Miller fills in his time. Well,
I’ve asked John to complete a Secretary’s Report for you and I’m sure you
will see that he is like a blue tailed fly to get through his work.

I would like to make reference to some of the achievements that have come
to fruition through nothing more than hard work.

Graham Price

First of all in research –

1. Mr Max Casimir, the Director of the entomology division at Rydalmere has appointed at least half of Dr
Alan Clift’s time, and his assistants, to the mushroom industry. This is an area that has never before been
covered by Rydalmere and we all look forward to a close liaison.

2. Dr Graham Evans, director of Biology and Chairman of B&CRI is investigating the possibility of a research
facility with growing rooms, that would be operational within a couple of years. Work on casing materials
at this stage is under way and material being screened includes Australian peat (donated by Mr Jack Pike)
and rice hulls (donated by The Rice Board). These donations are much appreciated.

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 131

3. On the evening of Tuesday 14th October 1975, John Miller and I set off to Canberra for the Australian
Farmers’ Federation Annual Conference. It proved, I feel, to be quite enlightening to find that we are not
alone in the lack of action regarding our Industries Assistance Commission Report that was held almost
two and half years ago. According to the AFF the Government has not acted on any of the IAC Reports
and the general talk was that they cost the good round figure of $250,000 each.

I know that John has set off on numerous occasions at 5.30am to ensure that Bernard King has had premium
mushrooms available for his colour TV programs “Family Circle”. In addition, there is a Monier “Wonder Wok”
week with in-store demonstrations and numerous national women’s magazines carrying salad promotions. No
doubt this will be covered in John’s report which is as follows:-

Secretary’s Report by John Miller

“The following brief report covered activities of general interest that have been discussed or carried out in the last
two months by me, involving the AMGA Secretary and other members.

International Congress

A preliminary meeting of the planning committee of the 11th International Congress on Edible Fungi to be held in
Sydney in 1981. Those people in attendance were Adele Rowe of Sydney Convention Bureau, Martial Lawson, Dr
Tan Nair and myself. A preliminary suggested program estimate of expenditure and supporting schedules were
draw up for presentation to the Australian government.

The total estimated expenditure on today’s costs is: $129,192.00
Less total income $106,500.00
Request for Australian Government contribution of
$22,692.00

The request to the Australian Government for a contribution of $22,692.00 has been sent to Canberra and I have

been informed that our application has been included on the agenda of the Standing Committee on Agriculture
and Australian Agricultural Council for consideration when they meet on 28th January 1976. We will be advised of
the outcome after that meeting.

Promotion Activities

The new “Summer Salad” posters have been printed at a reasonable cost, thanks to our good friends in the MGA in
England, who supplied us with colour positives at a reasonable cost, to produce our final posters in Australia.
Samples of the new poster have been sent to all interstate members so that they could place an order. I have
received orders and dispatched them to most states already, who were quick to respond. A special deal has been
arranged with the COD Group to erect posters in Queensland, NSW and Victoria.

Artwork has been approved at the 2nd National Annual Conference, held in Melbourne on 25th and 26th October, as
you have read in the proceedings, for the coming 1976-year.

There will be new recipe books, weight-watchers recipe leaflets, posters and concertina droppers. Samples will be
sent with coded numbers for ordering, when they are produced. Keep your eyes on November/December issues
of “Women’s Weekly”, “Woman’s Day”; “New Idea” and “Woman’s World” – they are all pushing “mushroom
salads” and marinated raw mushroom recipes.

We co-operated with Monier Consumer Products when they released their new electric “Chinese Wonder-Wok” .
For quite a number of weeks now fresh mushrooms have been supplied to between 10 and 17 female
demonstrators, who have been giving taste samples to customers in major retail stores. Monier are so pleased
that mushrooms cooking draw the crowds, and they have had trouble producing enough “Wonder Woks” for

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 132

orders. Their special recipe book has a number of mushroom recipes in it and they have produced a special leaflet
and press release now for newspapers.

Cannery Relations

Colin Holmes the new Supply Manager for Colman Foods (Big Sister), was taken to very one of their suppliers of
mushrooms in the Hawkesbury and Hills District of NSW to try and create a better understanding between grower
and canner. The exercise proved to be very successful from everyone’s point of view and after he had visited all
the farms he invited the growers and their families to a special day to inspect the cannery. Discussions were
carried out in the meantime on setting out contracts and specifications of requirements of mushrooms for 1976,
so that growers could plan well ahead. The cannery executives proved to be most understanding when it was
pointed out to them, that a number of points in their contract’s specifications were not acceptable. They
negotiated on these points and I hope all growers are satisfied with the resulting amendments to the contracts
when they receive them. If not, then back to the drawing board!

Land Tax

The threat of mushrooms growers not being recognised as primary producers, reared its ugly head again. Our
member of many years standing – Stan Grabowski – of Picnic Point NSW was sent a questionnaire from the
Commissioner of Land Tax. He asked, “Do you grow your mushrooms in the soil or in boxes?” Stan replied that he
grew them in boxes. The Commissioner then informed Stan that as he grew in boxes and not in soil, he does not
qualify under the Act of 1956, as a primary producer.

Stan informed the AMGA Secretary of his problem and both the Secretary and President, Graham Price, arranged a
meeting with the Member for Hawkesbury, Kevin Rozzoli, MLA at Windsor. The AMGA made a formal request,
confirmed in writing that as the mushroom industry had come a long way since 1956 in this country, and no longer
grew mushrooms outdoors on ridge beds, but indoors in containers under environmentally controlled conditions,
the Land Tax Act should be amended to include mushroom growers as primary producers. Mr Rozzoli has moved
faster than any politician I have ever known. I am pleased to say that I have received correspondence from him
confirming that the amendment to the Act, has passed all stages in parliament (NSW) and under the new Section 3
(1) definition of “land used for primary production” reads as follows “(e) the propagation for sale of mushrooms,
orchids or flowers”. This is now the new law from now on. Well done Kevin Rozzoli! The previous years are in
doubt, and Stan Grabowski’s earlier notices are now a “test case”. We are currently trying to iron that one out
now. More news on that next issue.

Research

Dr Graham Evans, Director of Biological and Chairman of B&CRI Rydalmere has assured us that he is exploring
every possible avenue to obtain funds to build a mushroom experimental growing house, with improved facilities
at Rydalmere, to simulate commercial growing conditions. This will greatly improve the working conditions for
both the biological and entomology people. They will be able to carry out properly controlled experiments, and
make positive well documented and proven recommendations, more related to the practical world of commercial
mushroom growing. This will be a great step forward for our industry.

Arrangements have been made for a donation of

(a) one rail truck of rice hulls to be donated by Dr Coulter of the Rice Growers Co-operative Mills Ltd, Leeton
to be delivered to Windsor;

(b) one motor truck of peat moss ex Bowral, donated by Mr Jack Pike of Pikes Nurseries, delivered to
Windsor.

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 133

These donations of material are for Dr Tan Nair’s commercial trials on casing materials that could reduce costs to
growers in the near future. Both consignments have arrived and are being used now. We are very grateful for
these donations to our research program and this has been conveyed to both gentlemen.

Entomology Division Swings Into Action Against Flies and Mites

The new Director of Entomology at the Biological and Chemical Research Institute
(BSCRI) Rydalmere NSW – Mr Max Casimir has lost no time in getting out into the
field with the AMGA. Secretary to meet mushroom growers and discuss their
entomology problems. He brought with him on the inspection his assistant Dr
Victor Edge and entomologist Dr Alan Clift.

He quickly realised we had a real problem and has agreed to assign Dr Alan Clift to
work on mushroom insect pests for at least 50% of his time.

Dr Alan Clift Dr Alan Clift is out now collecting flies and mites, ably assisted by Murray
Killingsworth, a Technical Officer with the department, who will do a lot of the

preparation work. We are eagerly awaiting the results of their trials on various

chemicals and their effectiveness on flies and mites and also how they affect yields.

This is something we have sadly lacked for many years and I’m sure every mushroom grower will join me in wishing

the team in the entomology branch the very best of luck in making their mark in this field. We will certainly look
forward to hearing of their progress at the 6th Short Course in July 1976.

Mushroom Growing Course – Ryde School of Horticulture

The first course has now been completed, and discussions on the future course structure for 1976 are being
carried out with the Head of School by the Course Advisory Committee, that consists of Joe van Dorresteyn, Greg
Kemp, Rob Tolson, Graham Price, Marsh Lawson, Norbert Flynn, John Miller and Dr Tan Nair.

There are always teething problems in any new course and it is difficult to have a course that suits everyone,
however, we must try to present a course that is practical for growers and is both interesting and of benefit to
them in proving their role as efficient farm managers. A questionnaire is to be sent out to all the growers that
commenced the course in 1975, it doesn’t matter whether the course was completed or not, the main thing is to
obtain constructive criticism on the course structure and class instruction so that the Advisory Committee and
teaching staff can assess where the problem areas are, and eliminate, or modify them, so as to make this a really
worthwhile annual course for progressive mushroom growers, their families and employees to attend with
confidence.

The Course Structure in 1975 was as follows:-

The course is made up of ten self-contained topics. Participants in the courses may elect to attend only those
segments of the course with particular application to their situation. The topics with suggested time allocation
are:

Chemical processes 6 hours
Biochemistry of microorganisms 4 hours
Entomology 4 hours
Mycology 4 hours
Identification of pest symptoms and environmental studies 2 hours
Physics of environmental structures 4 hours
Use of chemicals 2 hours
Equipment 2 hours

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 134

Management 4 hours
Marketing 4 hours

The Constitution and Incorporation of AMGA

Graham Price again as President commented in his final Annual Report in 1976 that with legal implications arising
for organizations such as ours that:

“The new committee have a look at the constitution. This was put at the top of the list but after a short period, it
was decided to investigate the feasibility of becoming a corporate body. As you know a General Meeting accepted
this and the wheels are in motion to have this Association formed into a corporate body. This hopefully will be
complete during our incoming President’s term.

Promotion

John has been very active in the area of promotion. You will agree that consumption of mushrooms must be
running at a record. Through John’s efforts, we have just joined Weight Watchers with a giant promotion venture
in a manner, which has never before been achieved by another industry. Some of you no doubt saw some of the
publicity in last Monday’s “Mirror”. Congratulations John. All agents and processors are reporting high demand
for mushrooms and who knows – negotiations for increases in price might evolve.

In signing off now, I would just like to make these few points. I’d like to see:-

1. More grower participation in the journal.

2. Greater grower participation in surveys. Remember if you don’t supply the figures your Committee can’t
fight in Canberra.

3. Continued pressure on Canberra for a quota to enable stability, incentive and confidence to once again
develop in our industry.

4. Continued pressure on promotion – an area I know John will maintain.

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 135

Imports of canned mushrooms from Asia jump 100%

We join the Australian Horticultural Growers Council (AHGC) and commence heavy lobbying of the Commonwealth
Government in Canberra.

My Secretary’s report – 1977/78, covered a range of issues as follows:-

The membership of the Australian Mushroom Growers’ Association Limited, as at 30th June 1978, consists of 83
Ordinary Grower Members who represent 76 farms throughout Australia. There are 8 Life Honorary Members and
9 Honorary Members. We have 7 Associate Members who represent forms supplying goods or services to the
Mushroom Industry.

The Board of Directors’ met 12 times, plus many special meetings dealing with such matters as Research, Extension
Services, Import enquiries, Promotion, Local Government, Pollution Commission, Taxation Investment Allowance.

During the year we resigned our Membership from the Australian Farmers’ Federation (AFF) in favour of
increasing our financial contribution to the recently formed (November 1976) Australian Horticultural Growers’
Council (AHGC).

It has been considered for some time now that a National organization, consisting of all producers of fruit and
vegetable producers would have greater strength, and speak with a strong united voice at Federal Government
level in Canberra. We, as the Australian Mushroom Growers’ Association, try very hard to make our presence felt
in Canberra. We have been reasonably successful and have the respect of Government departments, as a
responsible and hard working, progressive industry. However, we are only 83 growers strong with a value of a
little over $12,000,000 for our crop. On the other hand, the AHGC represents 35,000 growers of all horticultural
crops (including mushrooms) with a value in excess of $775,000,000.

As a Councillor and Member of the Executive of AHGC, I have had the opportunity of sitting in on special meetings
with the Deputy Minister and Minister for Overseas Trade, Mr Doug Anthony, Minister for Primary Industry, Mr
Sinclair, Minister for Health (including Plant Quarantine), Mr Hunt. These gentlemen have shown great interest in
AHGC and have so far been very receptive to suggestions put to them, in improving communications and
assistance to horticultural producers.

Imports of fresh mushrooms from New Zealand have dropped to a more reasonable level of around 20,000 kg per
month, since our representatives to the IAC, where we received a favourable report. The estimate for twelve
months to June is 320,000 kg.

The imports of canned mushrooms have shown an alarming increase of over 100% since the inquiry of 1974. They
are expected to exceed 5 million kg to June 1978. If you add to this the 80,490 kg of dried mushrooms (that are
not produced here at all), which when reconstituted (multiplied by 12 times) gives a fresh equivalent of 965,880
kg. You have the following facts:

Imports 6,285,880 kg
Australian Production
Total Australian Consumption 7,440,000 kg
13,725,880 kg
(30,196,936 lbs)

This gives an average consumption of 980 grams (2.15 lbs) per head of our population.

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 136

The Department of Primary Industry has informed me that stock levels of imported champignons and stems and
pieces held by Australian Canners and Wholesalers were significantly higher than for the same month (January) in
1977.

It is interesting to note that Singapore and Hong Kong was rapidly increasing exports of canned mushrooms. The
US growers suspect that those canned in Hong Kong are produce of Taiwan, as there are no mushrooms grown in
Hong Kong. I would be more inclined to think they are from a large supplier – grower country, such as the Peoples’
Republic of China, who are much closer to Hong Kong and already supply substantial quantities to Australian
importers.

At present the Australian Department of Primary Industry, acting on a request by the AHGC is looking at the
possibility of making a general reference to the Industries Assistance Commission (IAC) for inquiry and report on all
fresh and processed vegetable products other than potatoes, tomatoes and frozen peas and beans. The total
value of all fruit and vegetable imports – 8 months to February 1978 is $59,850,422.

The AHGC believes in pursuing the concept of Australian being self-sufficient in fruit and vegetable production.

The effective operation of AHGC is going to depend on positive and meaningful financial support. The cost of
maintaining their secretariat with good research staff is going to cost a lot of money to operate. We, at the
moment contribute $550 per year as a member organization. It may be necessary to increase this amount to as
high as $5,000 per year, to ensure that it is and remains a strong and effective lobby at Federal Government level.

The Wool, Wheat and Meat producers told us in Canberra recently, that horticultural crop producers have never
seriously supported their own organizations in a substantial financial way, and never will. They will not put their
money where their mouth is.

We, as members of the AHGC Executive took exception to this attitude and stated most emphatically that the
progressive thinking Horticulturist of today would support his organization and ensure that it remained financially
sound to meet its commitments. Even if it meant an increase in each producer’s financial contribution to his own
commodity organization.

This message is now being conveyed back to every producer organization and its members for serious
consideration. Recommendations on the attitude of producers are to be expressed by delegates attending the
AHGC Conference on August 16th 1978. Australian farmer unity talks in Canberra are awaiting the results of this
Conference. Horticulture is, apparently at this stage the only farmer organization that cannot stand on its own feet
financially in Canberra.

Promotion Activities

Promotion activities have been maintaining public relations and supporting the cookery editors, food writers and
home economists whenever necessary. Supplying fresh mushrooms to demonstrators in shopping centres, using
various appliances. Sunbeam and Monier have supported us well in most states of Australia. Bernard King and his
National Television Show “Kings Kitchen” are supplied with mushrooms every week for cooking with other
products and demonstrating appliances. Kraft Foods, Monier and the Australian Mushroom Growers’ Co-operative
Society, each contributed $750.00 towards the “Mushroom Week” television promotion of our joint products. It
cost us (AMGA) nothing, other than my time organizing it for National viewing and 6 kg of mushrooms, each week
during the year.

Mushroom recipes have been highlighted in newspaper, and women’s’ magazine cooking sections over the year,
by our many supporters in the food and advertising areas. Mushroom stock is also supplied to photographers,
who do shots for advertising agencies, promoting cooking appliances, and need tasty looking props to give their
product an image. A few mushrooms scattered around or cooking in a dish, adds a great touch to any scene.

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 137

The results of this work, either directly, or indirectly has yielded from the “Press Cutting Service”, to which we
subscribe, a total of 156 pages of coverage from all over Australia. A conservative estimate would value this at
$2,000 per page for black and white, or $4,000 for colour. A total, well in excess of $300,000 if it was bought.

Posters and recipe leaflets were produced to maintain our position in fruit and vegetable shops, and to make the
housewife aware of our tasty product being available every day of the year.

The Committee of Direction of Fruit and Vegetable Marketing (COD) and their staff in each of the three Eastern
States, were most helpful in erecting posters in shops, through their merchandising service. We have a contractual
arrangement with their head office in Queensland to carry out this work at a set figure each year. Each State is
charged separately for the service. We hope it may be available to other States in the future if COD set up new
offices.

The superb Paul Hamlyn Book “Cooking with Mushrooms” by Betty Dunleavy has been a great success. The total
number of 5,000 books purchased by the AMGA under contract to Hamlyn has been sold. There are no more
books available until the Hamlyn organization brings one out, with a soft cover in August-September 1978, for
general release to bookshops. No price structure is available as yet. Members will be advised.

10th International Congress – France

Attending this Congress with Qantas paying my airfare, so that they may be promoted as the official international
airline for our 11th Congress in 1981, was a tremendous experience. It will be of immense value to the mushroom
industry and me in general, I hope, as we now have been officially given the honour of being host country for the
11th Congress in 1981. Even if we don’t have the big farms they have overseas, I am sure we will have big hearts
and return the generous hospitality we have been given for years.

I would like to thank the AMGA for their support for my accommodation and ground travel expenses. It was very
much appreciated.

During my travels through Switzerland, Holland, France and England, I had the honour to meet and talk to many of
the leading mushroom people in the world. There is insufficient space to name them all, however, I would like to
record the names of a few of the wonderful unselfish people you find in this “Mushroom World”, who went out of
their way to make my visit a most pleasant and informative experience with their generous hospitality. They are in
order of my travels as follows:

• Dr Jim Sinden (Hauser, Switzerland)
• Pieter Vedder (CCO Holland)
• Drs Jacques Delmas and John Laborde (INRA France)
• Aron Kinrus (AMI) U.S.A
• Hank Taylor (CMGA) Canada
• Peter Flegg (GCRI England)
• Norman Barnard (Darlingtons) England
• Hugh Barton (Winterpick) England
• Fred Atkins OBE (MGA International) England
• Jim Gooding and Geoff Ganney (Yax – Pak) England
• John Peaker (Hauser – White Queen) England
• Denis Locke (Director MGA England)

A great deal of correspondence is exchanged and kind advice is also given to me by them whenever it is needed.

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 138

Emergency Funding Urgently Required to Clear Oversupply!

Rob Tolson in his President’s Report 1978/79 commented on his year.

“As I sit here to write this report for members on the activities of the AMGA
for this year, I ponder why I took the job on this year when our farm has been
going through an expansion program with so much work to be done and little
excess time available. Then I remember this time last year when I accepted
nomination, things were good we had just had an IAC that prevented New
Zealand getting onto NAFTA. Sales were good and I thought that I was the
only Vice President nominating. What the heck? It would be a quiet year
anyway.

I no sooner took the chair and it happened, the canners decided they were

overstocked and they were going to cut their stock, every grower around had

top yields. At the meeting on October 3rd, Peter Jones and Col Muffet spoke

on the crisis situation that was arising. The members said ‘get more levy and

Rob Tolson get out and promote’. By the time promotions were arranged and on the

way, mushroom sales had dropped and in November and December prices hit low.

Despite the fact that we were probably promoting at the wrong time of the year and some people suggested with
the wrong media. I am sure we would have lost more had it not been for the promotion that was done. Then
from one crisis to the next, some members said they would not pay the extra promotion levy that was passed on at
the December meeting. Then Christmas with its normal slow down, then in March the promotion levy with a few
adjustments back on again with most willing to support.

With no money in the can, NSW growers kicked the tin for some emergency funds.

Off again with a merchandiser full time, on the beat, talking to shopkeepers and placing promotion material and
generally trying to boost sales.

While back in the boardroom the Treasurer, Graham Price, had to retire just as he was about to bring out a new
budgeting method, then no treasurer for a time until a replacement was elected. Generally, very frustrating for
the board, long discussions on how to promote with little money to spend. A lot of hot air generally.

But the important point is where are we now, as the year for the present board draws towards the end.

A little difficulty in the minds of some with the ballot, but I feel sure not insurmountable and can be to everybody’s
satisfaction with some adjustments during the coming year.

Promotion carries on with Zena Peters still merchandising with some time yet necessary to gauge effect. John
Miller still keeping the product to the fore in the cooking magazines and journals etc.

Where do we need to go from here? As I write it is only the 6th July, before the year is finished. I would like the
Board and our new Treasurer, Ray Clark to look very closely to our overheads, maybe, they are running away on us
and need reining in before our term is over, because I feel very strongly we will get little protection from imports
and will have to spend our DOLLARS more diligently in the promotion scene.

The Congress Committee is now getting into top year and I feel with cooperation and support from the Australian
grower, we are heading for a very good Congress.

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 139

One very worthwhile activity this year for NSW growers was the farm discussion organised by J.D. Baker on the
farm of J.W. Baker. John D Baker brought together the growers and the researchers in the farm scene with no
other distractions, a very worthwhile exercise and worthy of full grower support.”

My Secretary/Promotion Executive’s Report for 1978-79 highlighted the key
issues we were dealing with at the time such as:

Membership

The membership of the Australian Mushroom Growers’ Association Limited, as at 30th June 1979, consists of 86
Ordinary Grower Members who represent 81 farms throughout Australia. There are 8 Life Honorary Members and
8 Honorary Members. We have 8 Associate Members who represent farms supplying goods or services to the
mushroom industry.

Imports

Imports of fresh mushrooms from New Zealand have dropped to a more reasonable level of around 15,000 kg per
month. The estimate for twelve months to June is 230,000 kg. This is a drop of about 30% below 1978 figures.

Sales of canned mushrooms in brine ex Asia have fallen dramatically this year. They are estimated to be down by
40% for the five months from December 1978 to April 1979 compared with the same period 12 months before.
The larger catering size pack has dropped by 45% for the December-April period. Dried mushrooms are down 28%.

It could mean that the larger volume of fresh mushrooms now available regularly every day, is supplying a market
for fresh mushrooms that has been sadly neglected. It is obvious that the demand is there, and it is up to us to
meet this demand or forever keep quiet about imports. The population is growing, so must our industry.

Excepting the glut period late in 1978, brought about by a number of factors, prices have been fairly good for
growers who packed and presented well-graded, good quality mushrooms for the fresh market.

It is to be hoped that Australian mushroom growers will now regain the bulk of the home market once more.

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 140

Promotion Activities

Public relations with cooking editors, food writers, photographers and home economists have been maintained as
well as possible, but not as good as they should be. This is due to the pressure of more and more administrative
duties of a great variety being dealt with by the one-man band AMGA office.

We, as a small producer organization, are at the cross roads of making firm decisions on what are our priorities of
duties and responsibilities. What areas should we drop or allow specialist people or organizations to perform?

These decisions will need to be made with due consideration given to the amount of funds available from
membership fees and the Spawn Contribution Fund. The overhead costs of running the AMGA; operating a motor
vehicle, the cost of producing promotion material, taking space in women’s magazines, giving free mushrooms for
demonstrations and photography etc have all risen dramatically over the last six years.

It was six years since growers in all states of Australia set the Spawn Contribution Fund fee of 30c per kg as the
amount payable. Inflation has seriously eaten into these funds and is making it increasingly difficult to maintain
effective publicity campaigns. The price of mushrooms during the same period (1973-79) has gone from 75c to
$1.38 kg for cannery grade and $1.05 to $2.20 for fresh market sales.

If we are to maintain our share of the consumers’ dollar and dinner plate, we must keep our product well
promoted. It is quite easy for the consumer to switch to other commodities such as zucchini, baby marrows,
tomatoes etc to replace our share of the plate. Even though we know mushrooms are “The Taste Sensation” and
irreplaceable. When I sometimes make an unannounced visit to a home economist, which is in the preparation
stages of food photography, it is a shock to me when I find stuffed tomatoes and zucchinis on the plate instead of
mushrooms. I usually carry a box or two of mushrooms in my car to overcome such oversights and try to have the
dish changed. The girls are hardworking and busy. That’s why I must visit regularly.

NSW growers have voluntarily increased their Spawn Contribution Fund fees for the current year of 1979 to 60c
per kg so that promotional activities can be stepped up. They have employed a very capable person in Mrs Zena
Peters to call on fruit and vegetable shops to promote sales.

This is to be reviewed by NSW growers after considering what benefits have been gained.

All states have the right to increase or decrease the amount of Spawn Contribution Fund fees payable by members
within their state.

As a national organization, our members are not paying quite one cent (1c) per kilogram of mushrooms produced
to run the AMGA and promote the product.

Too often is the amount contributed related to the cost of spawn, rather than the price received for the
mushrooms. Maybe it is time we changed the name or method of collecting funds for the AMGA operational
expenses.

There are quite a number of members who feel that the current system should not be secret. That the names and
amount contributed by each member should be published annually with our financial report. This is a decision you
may have to make, after careful consideration of the points for and against at a meeting called for that purpose.

We must have a more accurate means of estimating our income, so that we may budget for future expenditure a
little more wisely.

Promotion Key Points

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 141

1. The Hamlyn Book “Cooking with Mushrooms” by Betty Dunleavy, which promoted canned and fresh
mushrooms, has sold nearly 15,000 copies to June 1979.

2. “Weight Watchers” big 10th Anniversary celebrations – 45,000 recipe leaflets distributed to all their
members.

3. “Best Cook in Australia” competition. The “Australian Women’s Weekly” magazine and the very active
“Breville” appliance company ran this. Mushrooms were used in all demonstrations.

4. Co-operative cooking demonstrations are being carried out in most states throughout the year, with all
major microwave oven manufacturers and the Rice Marketing Board. “King’s Kitchen”, with Bernard King,
Channel 10 TV network every day in all states. This is a very popular fun cooking show. Bernard also
appears in major shopping centres from time to time. His most popular dish, given out at taste samplings
is raw mushrooms marinated in French or Italian dressing.

5. COD organization is still carrying out merchandising services, erecting posters and distributing recipe
leaflets in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria on a year round continuous basis. Total cost of
$2,500 per year for the service plus the cost of new posters and recipe leaflets that have to be produced
regularly.

6. National women’s magazines. Anne Marshall did a full mushroom cooking feature of three pages in “New
Idea” for “Mushroom Week”. The Women’s Weekly, Woman’s Day, Belle, Women’s World and Family
Circle magazines give good support throughout the year by using mushrooms as much as possible in their
recipe sections. Daily newspapers also give good support.

7. Electricity and gas authorities give regular cooking demonstrations.

8. Fresh mushrooms supplied free to all the above organizations in all states when required.

11th International Scientific Congress on the Cultivation of Edible Fungi (ISCCEF), Sydney, 1981

All committees have had meetings and are well on the way with an exciting program. We all look forward to
having a successful Congress and entertaining our friends from all over the world.

Research

The long awaited Mushroom Research Unit is now operating at the Biological and Chemical Research Institute
(B&CRI) at Rydalmere NSW.

We all look forward to hearing from Drs Tan Nair and Alan Clift on what new breakthrough they or their
counterparts overseas have discovered that can be applied to making mushroom growing more successful and less
hazardous in Australia. There is a great challenge there for our departmental people.

We became an incorporated body

We became an incorporated body and we changed the terminology of Committee to Board of Directors and from
President to Chairman.

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 142

In his Chairman’s Report 1979-80, V.G. (Wally) Klepetko makes the
following observation:-

“The Association

The AMGA Ltd has just completed its first year with each state fully
represented on the Board of Directors by its own State Director. While
we all welcome this happening, it has created some problems.

For, ever since its conception, the AMGA was built on the numbers and

strength of the NSW growers, simply because NSW was the place the

Association originated and the original mushroom industry was located.

Wally Klepetko The composition of the Board, as well as the attendance at the meetings
had been largely a NSW matter, yet issues of national concern were

often discussed and dealt with. As the industry expanded interstate, the Association gained more and more

members from other states and so the time arrived when the necessity for individual state branches became

obvious. These branches each elected their own State Director, who became a member of the Board of the AMGA

Ltd.

This is where the problems start – how can matters of national interest be separated from matters of state
interest, not only at Extraordinary General Meetings but also at Board meetings. We did try to separate the issues,
but failed; because ultimately, concerns of one state are concerns of all. For example, when our
Secretary/Promotions Executive, John Miller promotes with Bar-B-Qs Galore, attends a function at a cookery
school, visits Flemington Markets, or conducts the Association business from the AMGA office, the benefits flow
onto the whole Australian mushroom industry. The same applies to topics such as imports, research, marketing,
disease problems and industrial relations etc.

The interstate growers benefit immensely from their NSW counterparts, but at the same time, their contributions
are certainly not overlooked. We would have no TV promotion film without our Victorian members and no jingle
without Graham Baldock’s suggestion. We may not see our interstate members very often, but as a national
organization, we all can benefit from cooperation. If we separate and conduct our state business alone then all
will suffer.

With the change of the Association’s format to the Limited company, it was necessary to change the titles of
“President” and “Vice President” to “Chairman” and “Vice Chairman”. The Chairman is elected by the Directors
instead of by popular vote which is perhaps not as personal but certainly more realistic.

Because of our financial situation due to rising costs and inflation, the board reluctantly took the step of increasing
membership fees after seven years from $50 to $100 per year. The joining fee also rose from $50 to $100 and the
Associate Membership fee from $50 to $100. The benefits of membership of AMGA Ltd more than outweigh the
additional yearly subscription fee; members only need to pick up one single hint at our discussion meetings, from
research reports or newsletter articles to finish well in front.

Meetings

The average attendance at meetings may seem to be low, but percentage-wise, which organization, or for that
sake club, can claim 20-33% attendance of its members at a meeting, as we do? Imaginative agenda and guest
speakers may improve the attendance but remember – if you want any change or wish to change anything at all,
you have to be in it, you have to be prepared to talk about and discuss it. The highest number of votes decides the
issue, so if you don’t bother to cast your vote the others will decide for you.

Activities

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 143

We have curtailed our activities in Canberra and are involved with AHGC only. John Miller now being on its
Executive. This year should provide us with a final answer as to whether we will retain our membership of the
Council or leave, if the benefits continue to be as questionable as up to date. We have also retained membership
of United Fresh and had John Miller attend their Convention in Brisbane in June this year. On that occasion, John
attended the meeting of the Queensland branch of the AMGA as well.

I do not propose to deal here with our promotion efforts, as these will be dealt with by our Promotion Executive.
The only comment I wish to make here is what we all know – it pays to advertise. We may disagree on the time,
format etc of advertising but unless we keep our product in the minds of our consumers, may it be visual, audio or
mouth-fed, we all will eventually lose. In the past year, we have managed to maintain a reasonable market price,
despite the 600.000 kg increase in production in NSW alone – because we could replace the imported cans and
fresh NZ mushrooms with quality local product, supported by somewhat sporadic “bush” advertising. We try to do
our best with our limited resources. We are prepared to learn how and where to promote our product to its best
advantage but we certainly need more money for promotion.

Research at Department of Agriculture, Rydalmere

The facilities were completed in June 1979, and since then, four experimental trials have been carried out, results
of which have been published in the AMGA Newsletter. Just to refresh your memory, the trials were mainly
concerned with comparing yields of existing casing materials and finding a cheaper substitute to peat moss, the
price of which is becoming prohibitive. Dr Nair informs me that several different materials are being tested at this
time, such as spent peat (peat that has been used for growing mushrooms once already), and exploded pine bark,
which is showing encouraging results. Let’s hope that Rydalmere’s efforts in this casing program will save the
Australian mushroom grower a small fortune – soon!!

Among other projects at Rydalmere are trials on new pesticides and fungicides, their evaluation and recommended
usage, as well as registration for the industry to be able to use these.

The priorities and program of mushroom research at Rydalmere are drawn up by Dr Nair and Dr Clift in close
consultation with the Research Committee of the AMGA (consisting of all members of the Board) and the growers
participation committee consisting of Rob Tolson, J.D. Baker and myself. Several meaningful meetings took place
during the past year, establishing a good working relationship between the AMGA and the Department.

The Directors of the AMGA Ltd met the new Director of Biology at Rydalmere, Dr Phil Kable. Dr Kable has agreed
to continue mushroom research as a priority area in the Biology Branch Research program. We are grateful to him
for his assurance and assistance.

Extension Service

NSW Extension Officer, Mr J.D. Baker. I cannot complete this report without mentioning this “bonus” source of
information to all Australian growers. For J.D., despite being an officer of the NSW Department of Agriculture and
sponsored by the NSW Branch of the AMGA Ltd on his trip to the North American Conference in 1979 disseminates
his observations, findings and comments to all members in all states, through the Newsletter, of which he is also a
co-ordinator.

Thanks for your efforts, John.

Here, I wish to also acknowledge, with appreciation, the work done by Gus Latta as Newsletter Editor – Journalist;
never been on strike, underpaid, overworked, criticised and trodden on; yet always with a smile on his face.

ISCCEF

Reminiscences of a Fun’gi 144