*ORGANIC CERTIFICATION COST SHARE FUNDS
NOW AVAILABLE -*
*BOTH PRODUCERS AND HANDLERS ARE ELIGBLE FOR UP TO $750 - direct
reimbursement for 75% of certification costs *
* *
*THANKS TO ALL YOUR HARD WORK ON THE FARMBILL, USDA HAS JUST ANNOUNCED
THE
AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS TO THE STATES FOR 2008. This money will also be
available again in 2009 and each year for the next 5 years.*
* *
* *
*Please contact your certifier or your State Department of Agriculture
for
more information as to how to access these funds. *
* *
*See the full press release below*
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
USDA Makes Available Organic Certification Cost Assistance to Eligible
Producers and Handlers
AMS 172-08 Joan Shaffer (202) 720-8998
*[log in to unmask]*<[log in to unmask]>;
Billy Cox (202) 720-8998 [log in to unmask]
WASHINGTON, Sept. 18, 2008 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture today
announced that $22 million in federal funds are available for organic
certification cost assistance. The funds are available for producers and
handlers of organic agricultural products in any state of the United
States
of America, its territories, the District of Columbia and the
Commonwealth
of Puerto Rico (hereinafter called states).
The National Organic Certification Cost-Share Program, authorized by the
Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 6523), will allocate
funds in proportion to the number of organic producers and handlers
within
each state. The states in turn, will reimburse each eligible producer or
handler up to 75 percent of its organic certification costs, not to
exceed
$750.
To be eligible for reimbursement, an organic production or handling
operation must be located within a qualified state, 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.
Applications by states for federal assistance and cooperative agreements
must be requested from and submitted to: Robert Pooler, Agricultural
Marketing Specialist, National Organic Program, USDA Stop 0268, Room
4008-S,
1400 Independence Ave. SW, Washington DC 20250-0264; tel. (202)
720-3252 ;
fax (202) 205-7808.
Additional information is available on the National Organic Program's
home
page: www.ams.usda.gov/nop.
--
Reba Richardson - Field Organizer
National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture
1133 Finntown Rd Warren ME 04864
207.273.3044 [log in to unmask]
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