The U.S. National Fungus Collections housed in Beltsville, Maryland, represent one of the nation's most important, valuable, and irreplaceable resources. They are home to one of the largest fungal reference collections in the world and serves as the largest and most important repository for plant pathogenic fungi. This collection is not just a series of shelves and specimens—it represents the culmination of over a century and a half of arduous scientific work, aiming to document the vast diversity of agriculturally important fungi.

These fungal specimens are pivotal to agricultural research and provide foundational support for understanding, managing, and protecting crops and farms from diseases. Through these efforts, they directly contribute to securing our national agricultural landscape, ensuring food security, and aiding in maintaining our national farm security. As a source of reference material for Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and inspectors at ports of entry into the United States, this institution is essential for securing our nation's borders from external agricultural threats.

The collections serve as an irreplaceable resource for understanding fungal biodiversity—an invaluable tool as we face growing challenges of water scarcity and emerging plant pathogens threatening the world's food supply. Neglecting their preservation would result in losing a unique national resource that is integral to our scientific and agricultural communities.

Yet, despite their immense value, the U.S. National Fungus Collections face an uncertain future in the face of the USDA reorganization efforts that may lead to the shutdown of the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center facilities that house the collections. Without proper funding, planning, and commitment from the U.S. Federal Government, these priceless resources risk being under-maintained or made inaccessible for study, and their potential benefits may remain unrealized.

What do we want?

• Greater transparency about the future of this resource.
• Consultation with external experts on the direction and preservation of the collection (examples: Mycological Society of America​, National Science Collections Alliance).
• Preserving the integrity of the collections by storing them together in an appropriate, accessible facility with sufficient staffing.
• Improved support for the collections through the following:
  -Increased professional curatorial staffing
  -Accelerated digitization efforts
  -Commitment to training the next generation of mycologists and plant pathologists

I urge you to sign this petition to call upon the U.S. Federal Government to proactively and transparently plan for the future of the U.S. National Fungus Collections in consultation with external experts, and provide necessary support to maintain and advance this crucial scientific resource.

Signing this petition is a step towards preserving our national heritage and securing the future of our agricultural stability.