First, growers tend to be wary of Government programs because many believe they are already regulated too much. Second, growers currently can obtain insurance against fires or other disasters, such as equipment failure. Third, virtually all commercial mushroom production occurs indoors, where it is largely isolated from naturally-occurring perils, such as unseasonable cold, moisture extremes, wind storms, and hail, which cause most yield losses among outdoor crops. Finally, few producers participated in ad hoc disaster assistance. Most of this money went to shiitake producers with outdoor operations.
Shiitake growers account for only a small fraction of the mushroom industry.
Despite these factors, some growers may participate in crop insurance. Participation, however, may be limited to the minimum catastrophic level of coverage.