The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced that their Farm Service Agency is now offering an Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP).
The Organic Certification Cost Share Program provides cost-share assistance to producers and handlers of agricultural products who are obtaining or renewing their certification under the National Organic Program (NOP). Through the OCCSP, USDA’s Farm Service Agency covers up to 75% of organic certification costs at a maximum of $750 per certification category.
The cost-share assistance covers expenses including application fees, inspection costs, fees related to equivalency agreement and arrangement requirements, inspector travel expenses, user fees, sales assessments, and postage.
Eligible OCCSP applicants include any certified organic producers or handlers who have paid organic certification fees to a USDA-accredited certifying agent.
Producers and handlers interested in applying for OCCSP through FSA should contact their local USDA Service Center. As part of completing the OCCSP application, 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 departments of agriculture.
The deadline to apply is October 31, 2024.
For more information on the program, visit: https://www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/occsp/index?utm_campaign=0521occsp&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
