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Elements and Performance Criteria

1. Confirm status of system requirements for mushroom substrate preparation
   • Determine details of quantities of substrate required and dates/times to be achieved for each process stage and communicate to personnel
   • Determine availability, quality, serviceability, and cleanliness of all rooms, work areas, machinery, equipment and materials for mushroom substrate preparation
   • Allocate staff duties and responsibilities
   • Follow site quarantine protocols and farm and personal hygiene requirements
2. Confirm quality and consistency of Phase II outputs
   • Ensure Phase II process conforms to required production schedule and farm procedures
   • Record key factors and critical points
   • Take random samples of end product and dispatch for analysis
   • Record test results, compare to standards and take remedial action
3. Monitor and manipulate spawning and spawn run
   • Assess condition and quality of compost before spawning and take remedial action
   • Take temperature readings and record and adjust if required
   • Measure, record and control carbon dioxide content
   • Monitor spawn growth and appearance of mycelium during spawn run period
   • Select product and its rate of application where supplement is to be added to substrate at spawning
   • Monitor room hygiene and occurrence of pests and diseases and implement control measures
4. Manage clean-up procedure
   • Manage clean-up activities at the end of each process stage
   • Conduct cook-out or chemical disinfestations treatment before removal of spent substrate
   • Return equipment and hand tools to storage area after cleaning, basic preventative maintenance and checking for future serviceability
   • Report faults to maintenance personnel
   • Complete workplace records

Range Statement

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Performance Evidence

The candidate must be assessed on their ability to integrate and apply the performance requirements of this unit in a workplace setting. Performance must be demonstrated consistently over time and in a suitable range of contexts.

The candidate must provide evidence that they can:

establish and review farm procedures for mushroom substrate preparation

monitor and manipulate all interactions between inputs, conditions and outputs for each stage of substrate process

set and monitor productivity standards for mushroom substrate and rest of production cycle

record and analyse production data

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Knowledge Evidence

The candidate must demonstrate knowledge of:

principles and practices for managing mushroom casing production

casing function, application, required depth and required surface structure

detailed knowledge of all stages in Phase II substrate preparation process

farm standards and procedures, including those relating to OHS, food safety, Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP), quality systems, emergency procedures, organisational structure and workplace communication channels and protocols

how mushrooms are grown, with a focus on interaction between compost, environmental factors (such as temperature, water, relative humidity, carbon dioxide and ammonia) and mushroom growth

industry and workplace awards and conditions

key parameters to be recorded and monitored and appropriate ranges in relation to temperature, ammonia, relative humidity, moisture content, carbon dioxide and time

overview of mushroom production cycle and possible impact of deviations from farm standards on substrate and rest of production cycle

overview of Phase I compost production

relevant legislation and industry codes of practice and quality

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