USDA Accepting Applications to Help Cover Costs for Organic Producers
Agricultural producers and handlers who are certified organic, along with producers and handlers who are transitioning to organic production, can now apply for assistance with the cost of organic certification, along with other related expenses. Aid is being offered through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Organic and Transitional Education Certification Program (OTECP) and Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP). Applications for OTECP and OCCSP are both due October 31, 2022.
“By helping with organic certification costs — long identified as a barrier to certification — USDA has helped producers participate in new markets while investing in the longterm health of their operations,” said Farm Service Agency State Executive Director Arthur Tripp.
“We launched the Organic and Transitional Education Certification Program to build on the support offered through the Organic Certification Cost Share Program and provide additional assistance to organic and transitioning producers weathering the continued market impacts of the COVID- 19 pandemic,” Tripp
explained. He added, this year, in response to stakeholder feedback, USDA has aligned the signup dates for these two organic programs and is encouraging Georgia producers to work with the local USDA Service Centers and state agencies to complete the applications. “We’re committed to making sure our nation’s organic producers and handlers have the tools they need to continue positively shaping our local and regional food systems.”
Cost Share for 2022
OTECP covers: Certification costs for organic producers and handlers (25% up to $250 per category). Eligible expenses for transitional producers, including fees for pre-certification inspections and development of an organic system plan (75% up to $750). Registration fees for educational events (75% up to $200). Soil testing (75% up to
$100). Meanwhile, OCCSP covers 50% or up to $500 per category of certification costs in 2022.
This cost share for certification is available for each of these categories: crops, wild crops, livestock, processing/handling and State organic program fees.
Producers can receive cost share through both OTECP and OCCSP. Both OTECP and OCCSP cover costs incurred from October 1, 2021, to September 30, 2022. Producers have until October 31, 2022, to file applications, and FSA will make payments as applications are received.
How to Apply
To apply, producers and handlers should contact the Farm Service Agency (FSA) at their local USDA Service Center. As part of completing the OCCSP applications, producers and handlers will need to provide documentation of their organic certification and eligible expenses. Organic producers and handlers may also apply for OCCSP through participating State agencies.
Additional details can be found on the OTECP and OCCSP webpages.
