Agricultural Management Assistance Cost Share Program

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The Agricultural Management Assistance Organic Certification Cost Share (AMA) is authorized under the Federal Crop Insurance Act (FCIA), as amended, (7 U.S.C. 1524). Under this authority, Congress authorizes the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide organic certification cost share assistance to certified organic operations (only producers) located in the following sixteen (16) States: Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming. The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) administers the AMA using relevant sections of the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 and the Uniform Grant Guidance, 2 CFR 200. AMS awards AMA 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. In federal fiscal year 2015, the available funding for the AMA is approximately $900,000. This is the initial request for applications from sixteen State Agencies, in accordance with the issuance of the AMS “Organic Certification Cost Share Programs Fiscal Year 2015 Terms and Conditions”, which outlines the eligibility and performance criteria for State Agencies seeking annual AMA funds. Certified organic producers may request reimbursement for specific certification costs incurred from October 1, 2014 through September 30, 2015. To receive AMA cost share assistance, certified organic producers must contact their respective State Department of Agriculture. Additional procedures for applying are outlined in the AMS “Organic Certification Cost Share Programs Fiscal Year 2015 Terms and Conditions” document at http://bit.ly/CostShareGen

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