AMS 148-05

Joan Shaffer (202) 720-8998

joan.shaffer@usda.gov

Billy Cox (202) 720-8998

billy.cox@usda.gov

WASHINGTON, July 13, 2005 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced that $1 million in federal funds is available to 15 states to reimburse producers for the cost of organic certification. Eligible states include Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia and Wyoming. Producers may be reimbursed for up to 75 percent of their organic certification costs, not to exceed $500.

The Agricultural Management Assistance Program, authorized by the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1524), will allocate funds to the 15 states in proportion to the number of organic producers in each state. Each state is allowed to retain 4 percent of the total amount granted as an administration fee.

In order to be eligible for reimbursement, an organic production operation must be located within one of the designated states, meet the USDA national organic standards for organic production, and have received certification or update of certification by a USDA-accredited certifying agent during the period of October 1, 2005, through September 30, 2006.

Applications by states for federal assistance and cooperative agreements must be requested from and submitted to: Robert Pooler, Agriculture Marketing Specialist, National Organic Program, USDA/AMS/TMP/NOP, Stop 0268, Room 4008-S, 1400 Independence Ave. SW., Washington, DC 20250-0268; tel. (202) 720-3252; fax (202) 205-7808; e-mail bob.pooler@usda.gov.

Additional information may be found at the National Organic Program’s homepage: www.ams.usda.gov/nop.