Organic Certification Cost Share Programs

The National Organic Certification Cost Share Program (NOCCSP) provides organic certification cost share assistance to certified organic operations, including producers and handlers, located within the 50 United States, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. Territories. The program is administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA) using relevant sections of the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 and 2 CFR 200. The FSA awards NOCCSP funds to eligible State Agencies, which operate as a pass-through system, by accepting and approving their applications so they can issue reimbursements to certified organic operations for specific certification costs. • The program is authorized under section 10606(d)(1) of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002, as amended by section 10004(c) of the Agriculture Act of 2014. • Approximately $17.4M is available for NOCCSP in FY 2019. • Certified organic operations may request reimbursement for specific certification costs incurred from October 1, 2018, through September 30, 2019. • To receive NOCCSP cost share assistance, certified organic producers and handlers must contact their respective State Department of Agriculture.