Kennett Square, which was home to the 37th annual Mushroom Festival over the weekend, holds the title as the “Mushroom Capital of the World” for a good reason, writes Kenny Cooper for WHYY. 

The borough is surrounded by mushroom farms that produce more than 500 million pounds of mushrooms each year. Those mushrooms play a huge role in the economy of Chester County. They bring in close to $4 billion in annual revenue, including through ancillary jobs, packaging, and transportation. 

“It’s amazing just what an impact that one crop has on the local Chester County and even Pennsylvania’s economy,” said Borough Council President Doug Doerfler. 

Many of the farms are generational and have been in operation since the industry got its start in the area in the 1900s. At one time there were several hundred farms, but the number has gone down to 50 mostly through consolidation. 

Read more about the mushroom region in WHYY.