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Logo NAMC 2013. Photo: Jan Gielen.
Modern tunnelhall at Champ’s. Photo: Martin van de Vorle.
Filling a growing room at Champ’s Mushrooms Inc in Aldergrove, near Vancouver. Some delegates took the opportunity to visit Champ’s, the largest, most tech- nologically advanced mushroom producer in Western Canada.
Photo: Martin van de Vorle.
nability, whereby the principle of ‘how nature does it’ should be leading for the implementation of sustaina- ble business practice. Attention for air handling and climate control units was discussed in Jan Roemerman’s lecture. A properly dimensioned installation not only results in optimal yields, it also saves energy. The lectures were interspersed with panel discussions on subjects such as raw materials (Dr. David Beyer, Charlee Kelly, Dr. David Sauchyn), worker health and safety on mushroom farms (David Nguyen, Travis Brock) and food safety regulations in the USA and Canada (Dr. Ruby Lee, Dr. David Gombas).
Marketing and management The next session of the business program on Monday started with a stirring lecture by Scott Stratten entitled ‘Stop marketing, start engaging’. Customers do not ne- cessarily remember a logo, but chiefly the most extre- me and most recent experiences. What is important is ensuring these experiences are impressive and unfor- gettable. Donald Cooper spoke on corporate visioning. A corporate vision has to inform every team member, get them focussed, challenge and inspire them. It is not about formulating goals and objectives, but creating a commitment to a clear goal. In her lecture ‘You’re get- ting cooked: Communicating through a crisis’ Sharon Stevens explained that the greatest risk for a company is not sudden events beyond a company’s control, but the smouldering flames of risk that can flare up into
a crisis situation. And this is an aspect that managers can exert an influence on. Consultant Peter Christiaens gave an overview of the status of mushrooms around the world, and mentioned many countries, production figures, cultivation systems and mushroom varieties. During the final lecture, the Andrew O’Neil Memorial Lecture, with the title ‘Mushrooms for Weight Control & Health given by
Dr.Lawrence Cheskin, the issues of overweight and obesity were addressed and the research results into mushrooms as a meat substitute were discussed. The study revealed that in otherwise identical meals using mushrooms to replace meat is an effective way of reducing the daily calorie intake. After the lectures, the delegates cast their votes for the venue of the next NAMC in 2015. From the four pos- sible candidates San Antonio, Texas and – the favourite - San Juan, Puerto Rico were the winners. The actual location still has to be decided.
The end of the business program on Sunday and Monday signalled the opening of a trade expo, where about 27 companies that supply the mushroom sector presented their products and services to interested visitors, and made use of the networking opportunity. A gala dinner on Monday evening concluded the pro- ceedings at the NAMC. The organisers can look back on a successful event and the delegates on a series of inspirational lectures and the occasion to consolidate their networks. ◗
Representatives of Sylvan and Lambert and Duke Tran (right), president of Champ’s Mushrooms at the NAMC 2013. Photo: Martin van de Vorle, Mushroom & Substrate Consultancy.
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