Organic Certification Cost Share Programs

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Farm Service Agency (FSA), is requesting applications for the National Organic Certification Cost Share Program (NOCCSP) and the Agricultural Management Assistance (AMA) Organic Certification Cost Share Program. The purpose of the OCCSP awards is to defray the costs of receiving and maintaining organic certification. Eligible applicants include State Agencies that serve as administering entities, to reimburse organic operations for specific organic certification costs. The available funding for these two programs is approximately $6 million for the NOCCSP and $943,000 for the AMA. • The application deadline is June 30, 2021. • The FY 2021 Period of Qualification for organic operations seeking reimbursement is from October 1, 2020, through September 30, 2021. • A certified organic operation may receive reimbursement of 50 percent of its eligible certification costs, up to a maximum of $500 per scope. • The Period of Performance for State Agencies starts when the grant agreement is fully executed and ends December 31, 2021.