Feresh Pizarro moved to a farm near Robe in South Australia’s south-east three years ago to start her business, South Spore.<\/p>\n
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One death cap mushroom can kill a healthy adult when ingested. (ABC News: Penny Travers)<\/p>\n
She said had she cancelled her usual autumn and winter tours because of rising insurance costs, and she knew two other businesses similarly affected.<\/p>\n
Ms Pizarro said she believed the increase in premiums was connected with Patterson’s trial.<\/p>\n
“The insurance went up by ridiculous amounts, so I actually can’t make it viable,” Ms Pizarro said.<\/p>\n
Listen to the latest Mushroom Case Daily episodes<\/a><\/p>\n The ABC podcast will bring you all the key updates from Erin Patterson’s triple-murder trial over a beef Wellington lunch containing death cap mushrooms.<\/p>\n “It’s a pity, this is what I love. I want people to know and understand the fungi queendom \u2014 it’s huge.\u00a0<\/p>\n “It’s not just about edibles, it’s about the role they play.\u00a0<\/p>\n “There are mushrooms that have been proven to eat plastic or completely clean oil spills and transform them into a beautiful little environment.”<\/p>\n Similarly, Natasha Vorogushin, who runs mushroom foraging tours in Morwell, Victoria, where Patterson was put on trial, said she had only been able to get general public liability insurance, not one specifically tailored for her work.<\/p>\n “I’ve contacted quite a few insurance companies and had trouble finding anyone who would insure me for that specific type of workshop,” <\/strong>Ms Vorogushin <\/strong>said.<\/p>\n Richard Ford, who runs tours in Mount Macedon, said his employer already had high insurance costs.<\/p>\n “She said if they put the insurance up she certainly wouldn’t be able to do it, no,” he said.<\/p>\n Feresh Pizarro holding a Cordyceps gunnii fungus. (Supplied: Feresh Pizarro)<\/p>\n Insurers question reason<\/p>\n An Insurance Council of Australia spokesperson said the organisation was not aware of concerns from members about mushrooms or mushroom risks.<\/p>\n They said it was not common for insurers to change their offerings just because of “perceived risk”.<\/p>\n University of NSW actuarial studies professor Michael Sherris agreed it was unlikely a single court case like Patterson’s would influence insurance costs.<\/p>\n He said insurance costs in general were rising, and so probably were premiums for tour companies.<\/p>\n Professor Sherris said commercial liability insurance sometimes had clauses excluding high-risk activities like skydiving, but exclusions for mushroom tours were unlikely.<\/p>\n “Normally, you don’t have a mushroom foraging exclusion clause,” he said.<\/p>\n In Australia, deadly dapperling mushrooms are only known to grow in SA. (Supplied: State Herbarium)<\/p>\n Adelaide Botanic Garden and State Herbarium senior mycologist Teresa Lebel said there had never been a fatality from death cap mushrooms in South Australia.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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