Apply Now: USDA Organic Certification $
Register for free 9/17 webinar on building Good Food growth through community
In This Issue
• Apply Now for USDA Organic Certification Financial Aid
• 9/17 Free Webinar: Accelerating Good Food Growth by Building Community
Apply Now USDA Organic Certification $ Aid
Applications are now open for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Organic Certification Cost Share program, which provides financial assistance to farmers and food handlers who are seeking USDA Organic certification. The program seeks to address the fact that cost is a major consideration for many sustainable producers who are considering whether to obtain USDA Organic certification.
The application deadline for this year’s program is November 1. Here is the verbatim press release from USDA:
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Organic producers and handlers can now apply for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) funds to assist with the cost of receiving or maintaining organic certification. Applications for the Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP) are due Nov. 1, 2021.
“USDA is here to help all producers, including those who grow our nation’s organic food and fiber. Many farmers have told us that cost was a barrier to their ability to get an organic certification,” said Zach Ducheneaux, administrator of USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA). “By assisting with the costs, this program can help organic farmers get their certification along with the benefits that come with it.”
OCCSP provides cost-share assistance to producers and handlers of agricultural products for the costs of obtaining or maintaining organic certification under the USDA’s National Organic Program. Eligible producers include any certified producers or handlers who have paid organic certification fees to a USDA-accredited certifying agent during the 2021 and any subsequent program year. Producers can be reimbursed for expenses made between Oct. 1, 2020 and Sept. 30, 2021 including application fees, inspection costs, fees related to equivalency agreement and arrangement requirements, travel expenses for inspectors, user fees, sales assessments and postage.
For 2021, OCCSP will reimburse 50% of a certified operation’s allowable certification costs, up to a maximum of $500 for each of the following categories (or “scopes”):
crops
wild crops
livestock
processing/handling
State organic program fees
Organic farmers and ranchers may apply through an FSA county office or a participating state agency.
This funding will be complemented by an additional $20 million for organic and transitioning producers through the Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative. More information on that funding will be available in the coming weeks.
More Information
To learn more about organic certification cost share, please visit the OCCSP webpage, visit usda.gov/organic, or contact your local USDA Service Center.
9/17 Webinar: Accelerating Good Food Growth By Building Community
Local Food Forum is all about community. I launched the newsletter in April to promote greater interaction between the many sectors within our local food community and to advance public knowledge about the importance of the local food community.
So I am pleased to help promote the Naturally Network free webinar coming up on Friday, September 17 (3-4 p.m. central) titled Harnessing the Power of Community.
For entrepreneurs, activating and engaging with your local community is key to your brand’s success. Listen as some of the most successful entrepreneurs in the Natural & Organic industry share their stories of how they leveraged their communities and how you can do the same to develop yourself and your business.
Hear from These Industry Leaders…
John Foraker, Co-Founder & CEO, Once Upon A Farm and the former groundbreaking CEO of Annie’s Homegrown
Pete Speranza, CEO of Wicked Foods
Ayeshah Abuelhiga, Founder & CEO, Mason Dixie Foods
And Naturally Network Hosts
Sharon Reddehase, Executive Director, Naturally Network
Jim Slama, Managing Director, Naturally Chicago
Naturally Network leaders from across the country (Austin, Boulder, Bay Area, Chicago, New York, North Bay, and San Diego)
This event is presented by KeHE Distributors (a co-founder of Naturally Chicago), New Hope Network, and New Nexus Group.
Click the button below to register for this informative free webinar.
[Note: I have accepted a position on the Naturally Chicago Board of Directors. I previously helped launch Naturally Chicago and worked on it for nearly two years as an employee of Chicago nonprofit FamilyFarmed, which started the program in May 2019. Naturally Chicago recently separated from FamilyFarmed and is now a stand-alone organization.]