Helping Hand for Produce Growers Looking To Go Organic
May 28, 2022 Agricultural producers and handlers who are certified organic, along with producers and handlers who are transitioning to organic production, can now apply for USDA’s Organic and Transitional Education and Certification Program (OTECP) and Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP), which help producers and handlers cover the cost of organic certification, along with other related expenses.
Applications for OTECP and OCCSP are both due Oct. 31, 2022.
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 Oct. 1, 2021, to Sept. 30, 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 long-term health of their operations,” says Farm Service Agency Administrator Zach Ducheneaux.
How to Apply
To apply, producers and handlers should contact the Farm Service Agency 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.
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