The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) supports specialty crop producers by partially reimbursing growers for eligible food safety expenses.
Applications are due January 31, 2025, for operations that received food safety certification between June 26 and December 31, 2024. Operations who receive food safety certification between January 1 and December 31, 2025, may apply for the program throughout 2025, with the final deadline being January 31, 2026.
Eligible expenses include the development of an initial food safety plan, maintenance or updates to an existing food safety plan, food safety certification, certification upload fees, microbiological testing, and training. Ineligible expenses include infrastructure improvements, equipment, supplies, salaries and benefits of employees, and fees or penalties for late payment.
To qualify for the program, an operation must
- be a specialty crop operation;
- have obtained or renewed
- a 2024 food safety certification between June 26- December 31, 2024, or
- a 2025 food safety certification during calendar year 2025;
- have paid eligible expenses;
- be a small or medium-sized business (defined as having a three-year annual average $1,000,000 or less in specialty crop sales); and
- be located in the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
Visit the USDA’s website for more details, including application forms. A simplified fact sheet is also available online. FSA is offering one-on-one support for applicants; call 877-508-8364 to speak directly with a person who can help.
