AMA Organic Certification Cost Share Program

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The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announces the availability of $1.5 million in funds for allocation to State Department of Agriculture for providing cost share assistance to eligible organic producers certified to the National Organic Program (NOP). The NOP is authorized under the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990, as amended (7 U.S.C. 6501 et seq.). The funds announced under the Agricultural Management Assistance Organic Certification Cost Share Program are authorized under the Federal Crop Insurance Act (FCIA), as amended, (7 U.S.C. 1524). Under the applicable FCIA provisions, the Department is authorized to provide cost-share assistance to organic producers in the States of Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming. Each State Department of Agriculture (Agencies, Commissions or Departments) in the aforementioned States, that is interested in obtaining program funds are invited to submit applications to AMS. Applications for federal assistance from States must be submitted to the National Organic Program by November 01, 2009. The program will provide cost-share assistance, through participating States, to organic producers receiving certification or continuation of certification by a USDA accredited certifying agent commencing October 1, 2009, through September 30, 2010. Cost-share assistance payments are limited to 75 percent of an individual producer’s certification costs up to a maximum of $750.00 per year. Organic producers within the eligible States must contact their local State Department of Agriculture to apply for cost-share assistance. To receive cost-share assistance, organic producers must submit an application to the representative Agency of the State in which their farm/operation is located. This application must include: 1) proof of NOP certification issued or continued within the cost-share qualifying period, October 1, 2009, through September 30, 2010, and; 2) an itemized invoice demonstrating costs incurred for NOP certification.This program is in addition to and separate from the National Organic Certification Cost-Share Program which is also administered by AMS and is open to all States and U.S. Territories.

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