“Not only is this the first concerted effort by a group of farmers in this state to grow and market Certified Organic products, but it’s also a significant step to creating more market opportunities for all Georgia farms.”
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.
The number of certified organic operations worldwide grew to 45,578 in 2020 with 28,454 — more than 62 percent — located in the United States. California remains the leader domestically with more than 5,000 certified operations. The Great Lakes Region, Pacific Northwest, and Iowa continue to round out the top ten.
Read MoreIn the most recent Quarterly Enforcement Report, the majority of NOP’s oversight work was in the form of cracking down on companies using the word “organic” without authority. In fact, over 62% of its enforcement actions were related false advertising and outright fraud.
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