Federal funds are available to help farmers applying for receiving and maintaining organic certification through the Organic Certification Cost Share Program.
The Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency announced the funding this week.
The program provides cost-share assistance up to 75 percent of certification costs each year to producers and handlers of agricultural products for the costs of obtaining or maintaining organic certification.
The maximum funding available is $750 per certification scope, including crops, livestock, wild crops, handling and state organic program fees.
FSA Administrator Richard Fordyce says the program also “gives organic producers an opportunity to learn about other valuable USDA resources, like farm loans and conservation assistance, that can help them succeed.”
Producers can visit their local FSA county offices to apply for fiscal year 2019 funding.
Eligible expenses for cost-share reimbursement include application fees, inspection costs, fees related to equivalency agreements and arrangement requirements, travel expenses for inspectors, user fees, sales assessments and postage.
