The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced that the Organic Certification Cost Share program will offer reimbursements at original levels of 75% of eligible expenses up to a maximum of $750 per scope. Scopes are crops, wild crops, livestock, and processing/handling.
New federal investments in the USDA’s conservation programs make this year the best in recent memory to secure a new contract through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP).
The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is now accepting grant applications for the Conservation Agriculture Planning Grants Program (CAPGP) administered by its Office of Environmental Farming and Innovation (OEFI).
The application period will close on October 23, 2022, at 5 p.m. PT.
The USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) has opened two organic cost-share programs for applications. Certified organic operations may apply for and receive reimbursement from both programs.
“Original” cost share offers organic operation reimbursement of 50 percent of eligible expenses related to certification, including State Organic Program registration fees up to a maximum of $500 per scope. Find more information on the “original” cost-share program at the USDA’s website.
In the current issue of Certified Organic, CCOF announced our new grant opportunity for small-scale Salinas Valley farmers on the path to becoming organic farm owners. More specifically, grantees will be implementing regenerative practices that have been the hallmarks of organic production for decades, including crop rotation, cover cropping, mulching, composting, and other soil-building practices.
The $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, passed by Congress to help America recover from COVID-19, includes $5 billion in farm debt relief for producers who are members of socially disadvantaged groups that have historically been subject to discrimination and underserved by U.S. government programs. Black/African American , American Indian, Alaskan Native, Latinx, Asian American, and Pacific Islander producers who have farm loans through the Farm Service Agency (FSA) or private lenders with FSA guarantees are eligible for relief.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has expanded the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP), which offers funding to producers who have been impacted by market disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Value-added products can make a significant contribution to a farm’s cash flow when a crop grown on the farm is processed into a food product, such as salsa or jam, that can be sold at a higher price. USDA offers funding to support farmers and groups of farmers developing value-added enterprises through the Value Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program.
USDA has adjusted the VAPG program in response to COVID, including
Earlier this month, the federal government approved $1.9 trillion in COVID-19 economic relief, including $1400 stimulus checks for most Americans, vaccination resources, and aid to state and local governments. Provisions in the package for agriculture, known as the American Rescue Plan, amount to a relatively minor $16 billion spread across several programs.
Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-Carmel Valley) announced a $318,300 federal grant for the CCOF Foundation in Santa Cruz, California. The CCOF Foundation will use the USDA-awarded grant to lead a multi-state initiative to support organic food processors through food safety compliance training and education.