Wash. mushroom farm to close; 65 to lose jobs

BELLINGHAM, Wash. (AP) – About 65 people will lose their jobs at a mushroom farm in northwestern Washington.

The Bellingham Herald reports (https://goo.gl/4kkzxO ) that Ostrom Mushroom Farms will phase out its operations on the 60-acre farm and close in June.

Company officials say facilities and equipment built in 1980 at the farm in Everson, Washington are no longer cost-effective to operate.

Ostrom spokesman Fletcher Street says it has also become increasingly difficult to attract people to do the fairly labor-intensive work.

Street says about 55,000 pounds of mushrooms are harvested by hand each week at the business.