USDA DATA SHOWS A REMARKABLE INCREASE IN DEMAND FOR MUSHROOMS; US PER CAPITA CONSUMPTION OF MUSHROOMS WAS 2.7 POUNDS IN 1978, BUT IS NOW OVER 4 LBS. IN 2016 AND 2017, SPECIALTY MUSHROOM (NON-AGARICUS) SALES HAVE CONSISTENTLY INCREASED AT A RATE OF 4% PER YEAR (USDA), WITH OVERALL MUSHROOM SALES IN US INCREASING BY OVER 15%. A 2015 CHATHAM UNIVERSITY STUDY INTERVIEWED 23 NORTHEASTERN BUYERS WHO REPORTED NEEDING 7,075 POUNDS OF SHIITAKE (307 LBS. PER BUYER) ANNUALLY TO FULFILL CUSTOMER DEMAND, BUT ONLY 2,060 POUNDS (29% OF DEMAND) OF LOCALLY-PRODUCED SHIITAKES WERE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE. DESPITE THIS DEMAND, MUSHROOM FARMING IS NOT WELL ESTABLISHED IN THE US, WITH ONLY 229 FARMERS REPORTING GROWING SPECIALTY MUSHROOMS, AND BOTH THE NUMBER OF GROWERS AND THE PRODUCTION RATES HAVE BEEN DECLINING OVER THE PAST THREE SEASONS (USDA).DOMESTIC PRODUCTION OF SPECIALTY MUSHROOMS, WHILE MORE THAN DOUBLING SINCE 2010, IS STILL SUBSTANTIALLY LOW. TO BECOME A SIGNIFICANT NICHE CROP WITHIN US AGRICULTURE, AGENCIES, UNIVERSITIES, AND EXTENSION NETWORKS MUST ACTIVELY COLLABORATE TO RESEARCH AND REFINE TECHNICAL AND BUSINESS ASPECTS OF SPECIALTY MUSHROOM PRODUCTION AND SUPPORT GROWERS' ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND BUSINESS GROWTH.CURRENTLY, THERE IS VERY LITTLE RESEARCH-BASED INFORMATION ON PROFITABLE PRODUCTION, HANDLING AND MARKETING STRATEGIES FOR SPECIALTY MUSHROOMS GROWN IN INDOOR ENVIRONMENTS. THERE ARE ALSO FEW SERVICE PROVIDERS SKILLED IN SUPPORTING SPECIALTY MUSHROOM PRODUCTION IN THE REGION.OUR OVERARCHING GOAL FOR THIS PROJECT IS TO ADVANCE THE ADOPTION OF SPECIALTY MUSHROOM PRODUCTION BY DEVELOPING VIABLE ECONOMIC MODELS FOR SCALABLE CEA PRODUCTION, ASSESSING LOCAL AND REGIONAL MARKET OPPORTUNITIES AND CONSTRAINTS, AND INCREASING THE CAPACITY OF AGRICULTURAL SERVICE PROVIDERS TO OFFER MUSHROOM PRODUCTION, HANDLING AND MARKETING EDUCATION. EACH OBJECTIVE COMBINES RESEARCH AND EXTENSION ACTIVITIES TO DEFINE THE NEEDS AND CONSTRAINTS WITH DATA COLLECTION AND INVOLVE STAKEHOLDERS IN EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES THAT BOTH INFORM THE EVOLUTION OF THE PROJECT AND BUILD THE COLLECTIVE KNOWLEDGE BASE AMONG PARTICIPANTS.