WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture is helping organic producers and handlers cover certification costs as part of the department’s effort to put farmers first and “Make America Healthy Again.”
USDA’s Farm Service Agency is accepting applications to help with organic certification costs for the 2025 and 2026 program years through the Organic Certification Cost Share Program.
Producers and handlers must apply by Dec. 31 for both program years.
“The Trump Administration is focused on putting farmers first, and this program helps organic producers with their certification costs through the National Organic Program,” FSA Administrator Bill Beam said in a press release.
“This program enables organic producers to access additional markets for their products by removing financial barriers for farmers and processors transitioning to or maintaining organic status, resulting in increased access to healthy foods produced by American farmers.”
COST SHARE ASSISTANCE
OCCSP provides cost share assistance to producers and handlers for the costs of obtaining or maintaining organic certification under the National Organic Program, which is administered by USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service.
Producers and handlers are eligible to receive 75% of the costs, up to $750 for each of the following scopes: crops, wild crops, livestock, processing and handling, and state organic program fees.
FSA will make payments as applications are received on a first-come, first-served basis until available funds are depleted.
ELIGIBILITY
To be eligible, a producer or handler must have their USDA organic certification for the applicable program year at the time of application and must have paid fees or expenses related to the initial certification or renewal from a certifying agent during the program year.
For program year 2025, they must have possessed a USDA organic certification at any time during the program year.
There are four USDA organic regulation recognized scopes that must be individually inspected and certified: crops, livestock, wild crops and handling. The scopes must be listed on the producer or handler’s organic certificate to be eligible for OCCSP.
Eligible costs include:
— Application and administrative fees for USDA organic certification.
— Inspection fees for USDA organic certification, including travel and per diem costs for organic inspectors.
— USDA organic certification costs, including fees necessary to access international markets with which AMS has equivalency agreements or arrangements.
— State organic program fees.
— User and sale assessment fees for USDA organic certification.
— Postage costs for materials related to obtaining or renewing USDA organic certification.
Organic producers and handlers may also apply for OCCSP through participating state agencies.