Farmers, Food Processors Can Offset Costs of Organic Certification
South Carolina Department of Agriculture
Hugh E. Weathers, Commissioner
Media Contact: Eva Moore, 803-734-2196, emoore@scda.sc.gov
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – August 3, 2022
Farmers, Food Processors Can Offset Costs of Organic Certification
COLUMBIA — South Carolina farmers and food processors who want to pursue organic certification may qualify for reimbursement through a grant administered by the South Carolina Department of Agriculture (SCDA) and funded by the US Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency.
“Organic certification can help farmers and food producers expand to new markets and find new customers, and this grant offers some assistance to do that,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Hugh Weathers.
The Organic Certification Cost Share Program will reimburse producers and handlers of agricultural products up to 50 percent of the operation’s total allowable certification costs, up to a maximum of $500 per certification scope: crops, livestock, wild crops, and handling (i.e., processing).
In addition, two farm credit associations are supplementing the cost-share funding available under this grant. AgSouth Farm Credit, ACA and ArborOne Farm Credit, ACA have generously offered to supplement the Organic Certification Cost Share Program for South Carolina producers with an additional reimbursement of 25 percent of certification costs up to a maximum of $250 per certification scope.
The deadline to apply for reimbursement for the current year is December 19, 2022.
SCDA also has five other cost share reimbursement programs available as projects of the USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. These programs are designed to offset the costs of operating a farm business, including installing cold storage, implementing value-added packaging, marketing at trade shows, and costs associated with Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and Produce Safety Rule audits.
To apply for reimbursement programs through SCDA, visit agriculture.sc.gov/grants.
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Farmers, Food Processors Can Offset Costs of Organic Certification [pdf]