NSAC's Blog
USDA Invites States to Apply for Organic Certification Cost-Share Programs
September 8, 2010
On Wednesday, September 8, USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) issued a Federal Register notice inviting states to apply for the National Organic Certification Cost-Share Program (NOCCSP).
As part of the 2008 Farm Bill, NSAC succeeded in securing $22.0 million for the NOCCSP, and these funds will be allocated annually as needed until the next farm bill in 2012. States that succeed in securing funding will in turn provide cost-share assistance to producers and handlers in their state with organic certification.
An earlier act of Congress created the Agricultural Management Assistance (AMA) program, a separate, multifaceted program that includes organic certification cost-share funding for the 12 Northeast states plus HI, NV, UT, and WY. This program makes $1.495 million available for organic certification cost-sharing, and is inviting all eligible states to apply for funding.
The deadline for applications for both programs is September 24, 2010. Addresses and further information can be found in the USDA notices (the first regarding the NOCCSP, the second regarding the AMA), and to read more about organic certification cost-share programs visit this section of NSAC’s Grassroots Guide to the 2008 Farm Bill. For more about NOCCSP outreach, see this earlier post.
Categories: Grants and Programs, Organic
Is there any talk of a bill or action that will demand conventional growers to list what chemicals they are putting on the food we eat? Earth Justice is working on a bill to get all the potentially harmful chemicals in household cleaners listed and yet we eat so many everyday on conventionally grown food. Why is it that organic growers always have to run through hoops and pay for certification when they use nothing. It seems very backwards to me.