USDA Restores Organic Certification Cost Share Program
Today, USDA’s Farm Service Agency announced that they will increase 2023 reimbursement rates for certified organic farmers who apply for the Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP). Producers will be eligible for a reimbursement of 75% of the annual cost of organic certification up to $750 per year. If the operation has more than one scope (e.g., two or more of the four scopes – crops, livestock, handling, wild crops), they can receive a $750 reimbursement for each scope in 2023.
The National Organic Coalition has advocated forcefully for a full restoration of the organic certification cost share program, which was cut in 2020 during the height of the covid pandemic and at a time when producers were facing a loss of markets and increased costs to comply with new sanitation and staffing procedures to keep workers safe. Today’s announcement by FSA restores reimbursement levels to the levels authorized by the 2018 Farm Bill.
“We are thrilled by the announcement that USDA has finally restored funding for the organic certification cost share program, said Abby Youngblood, Executive Director at the National Organic Coalition. “Organic farming has so many benefits – it reduces the use of toxic pesticides, increases biodiversity, protects water quality, and builds resiliency to extreme weather events. Operations that voluntarily use beneficial organic practices deserve support to help them comply with the time-consuming and expensive process of getting certified each year.”
The organic certification cost share program is especially important for small, mid-sized, and underserved producers. On average, the cost of getting certified is more than $2,800 annually and certification costs have increased dramatically in recent years to reflect the need for increased oversight and verification protocols to protect organic integrity and prevent fraud. The 2020 cuts to the cost share program limited farmers to no more than $500 as a reimbursement for certification costs each year, which is insufficient for most operations. NOC is advocating for a provision in the 2023 Farm Bill to increase OCCSP reimbursement levels to $1500 annually per scope, up to 100 percent of the cost of certification.
Today’s announcement is a step forward and will help organic operations survive and thrive, which is fitting given their significant contributions to regional economics and natural resource protection.
How to Apply
The Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP) will cover costs incurred from Oct. 1, 2022, through Sept. 30, 2023.
FSA will begin accepting applications for OCCSP Monday, May 15. Applications are due Oct. 31, 2023. To apply, producers and handlers should contact the FSA at 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.
FSA is also accepting applications from state departments of agriculture to administer OCCSP. FSA will post a synopsis of the funding opportunity on grants.gov and will send more information to all eligible state departments of agriculture. Additional details can be found on the OCCSP webpage.