REGION — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced that starting March 20, 2017, organic producers and handlers will be able to visit over 2,100 USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices to apply for federal reimbursement to assist with the cost of receiving and maintaining organic or transitional certification.

“USDA reimburses organic producers up to 75% of the cost of organic certification, but only about half of the nation’s organic operations currently participate in the program,” said FSA Administrator Val Dolcini. “Starting March 20, USDA will provide a uniform, streamlined process for organic producers and handlers to apply for organic cost-share assistance either by mail or in person at USDA offices located in almost every rural county in the country.”

Producers can also access information on nonfederal agricultural resources and get referrals to local experts, including organic agriculture, through USDA’s Bridges to Opportunity service at the local FSA office.
Eligible producers include any certified producers or handlers who have paid organic or transitional certification fees to a USDA-accredited certifying agent. Application fees, inspection costs, fees related to equivalency agreement/arrangement requirements, travel/per diem for inspectors, user fees, sales assessments and postage are all eligible for a cost share reimbursement from USDA.

Once certified, producers and handlers are eligible to receive reimbursement for up to 75% of certification costs each year up to a maximum of $750 per certification scope—crops, livestock, wild crops and handling. For more information visit www.fsa.usda.gov/organic or contact a local FSA office by visiting offices.usda.gov.