AMS No. 171-09

Joan Shaffer (202)720-8998

joan.shaffer@ams.usda.gov

Billy Cox (202)720-8998

WASHINGTON, September 30, 2009 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced the availability of federal funds for organic certification cost-share assistance. These funds are dispersed through two cost-share programs: the Agricultural Management Assistance Program (AMA) and the National Organic Certification Cost-Share Program (National Program).

Federal funds in the amount of $1.5 million are available through the AMA Program for organic certification cost assistance to eligible organic producers in the states of Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia and Wyoming. The AMA Program is authorized by the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1524).

In 2008, $22 million in federal funds were authorized for the National Program by the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 6523). USDA has allocated money from the $22 million for the 2009 National Program. These funds are available to producers and handlers of organic agricultural products in the United States, its territories, the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (hereinafter called states).

For each cost-share program, USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service will allocate funds to states, through their representative state department of agriculture, to provide cost-share assistance to eligible organic producers and handlers. The states, in turn, will provide cost-share assistance to eligible producers or handlers receiving NOP certification or continuation of certification by a USDA accredited certifying agent from Oct. 1, 2009, through Sept. 30, 2010, up to 75 percent of its organic certification costs, not to exceed $750.

To receive cost-share assistance, organic producers and handlers must submit an application to the representative Agency of the state in which their farm/operation is located. Eligible organic producers and handlers must also comply with the USDA National Organic Program regulations for organic production or handling and have received certification or continuation of certification by a USDA accredited certifying agent within the above timeframe.

Applications from states for federal assistance and cooperative agreements for both cost-share programs must be received by Oct. 23, 2009, and submitted to: Robert Pooler,

Agricultural Marketing Specialist, National Organic Program, USDA Stop 0268, Room 4004-S, 1400 Independence Ave. SW, Washington DC 20250-0264; tel. (202)720-3252.

Additional information on these cost-share programs is available on the National Organic Program’s home page: http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop.