Organic Certification Cost-Share Program (OCCSP)
UPDATE: Contact your certifier about cost-share. If you are a customer of QCS or your certified operation is located in Florida, contact Florida Organic Growers, which is processing cost-share applications: https://foginfo.org/our-programs/cost-share-program/.
OCCSP provides cost share assistance to producers and handlers of agricultural products who are obtaining or renewing their certification under the National Organic Program (NOP). Certified operations may receive up to 75 percent of their certification costs paid during the program year, not to exceed $750 per certification scope. The deadline to apply is October 31, 2024.
Eligible OCCSP applicants include any certified organic producers or handlers who have paid organic certification fees to a USDA-accredited certifying agent.
Cost share assistance covers expenses including application fees, inspection costs, fees related to equivalency agreement and arrangement requirements, inspector travel expenses, user fees, sales assessments and postage. OCCSP pays a maximum of $750 per certification category for crops, wild crops, livestock, processing/handling, and state organic program fees (California only).
For more information on organic certification and regulations, visit the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service’s organic website.
Applying for OCCSP
Producers and handlers interested in applying for OCCSP through FSA should contact their local USDA Service Center. As part of completing the OCCSP application, producers and handlers will need to provide documentation of their organic certification and eligible expenses.