Opportunity to receive partial
reimbursement of cost of certification. If you were certified b/t Oct 1,
2007-Sept 8, 2008 you can apply for this cost-share of the fees which you
paid for organic certification. The application is simple (one page) and the
return is very good, up to 75% of what you paid. Do not apply for any other
period (before or after this time frame) but the one stated as your application
will NOT be accepted. To qualify for cost share: Just complete the application (link
at bottom of this email) and provide documentation of a photocopy of your
receipt and certificate. Address is at bottom of this email too.
If your farm was certified AFTER
Sept 8, 2008 you will need to wait for the NEXT phase which will occur
after the completion of this call for application.
Vicki Morrone
Organic Vegetable and Crop Outreach Specialist
Michigan State University
C.S. Mott Group for Sustainable Food Systems
303 Natural Resources Bldg.
East Lansing, MI 48824
517-353-3542
517-282-3557 (cell)
517-353-3834 (fax)
For information on organic agriculture production please
visit: http://www.MichiganOrganic.msu.edu/
Please consider the environment before printing this
email
-----Original Message-----
From: Ginger Bardenhagen [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Monday, May 11, 2009 12:57 PM
To: [log in to unmask]; [log in to unmask]; [log in to unmask];
[log in to unmask]; [log in to unmask]; [log in to unmask];
[log in to unmask]; 'Chris Bardenhagen'; [log in to unmask];
[log in to unmask]; [log in to unmask]; [log in to unmask]; Jim Bingen; [log in to unmask];
'matt grieshop'; Vicki Morrone; [log in to unmask];
Yvette-organicbythecase; [log in to unmask]; 'heather'; 'jen tutlis'
Subject: Fwd: Release: Organic Certification Funds Available
forProducers/Handlers
And more info for you all, also involving the Farm Bill.
Ginger Bardenhagen
>>> MDA-NewsRelease MDA-NewsRelease 5/11/2009
12:33 PM >>>
For Immediate Release
May 11, 2009
Contact: Jennifer Holton, 517-241-2485 or
[log in to unmask]
Organic Certification Funds Available for
Producers/Handlers
Application deadline is June 8
LANSING- Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA)
Director Don Koivisto
announced today the department recently signed a
cooperative agreement
with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
to distribute
federal fundsfor the National Organic Program (NOP) to
Michigan organic
handlers/producers for reimbursement of certification
costs. The actual
cost share amount will be based on a percentage of the
total the
applicant paid for NOP certification.
*In these tough economic times, Michigan producers and
handlers will
benefit from the reimbursement funds being provided by
USDA,* said
Koivisto. *Michigan*s agriculture industry has continued
to be
vital to the state*s economic revitalization and our
organic industry
continues to show steady growth within Michigan.*
This program was authorized by the 2007 farm bill and
will reimburse
organic handlers/producers for up to 75 percent of the
cost of
certification not to exceed $750. The current
reimbursement program is
for the period October 1, 2007 through September 30,
2008. MDA will
only accept applications received on or before the June
8, 2009
deadline.
Organic handlers/producers are required to submit a
completed
application, along with the required support documentation,
to receive
reimbursement for the certification costs.
For more information or to obtain an application on the
Organic Cost
Share Program, please visit MDA*s web site at
http://www.michigan.gov/mda/0,1607,7-125-1569_25516---,00.htmlor
call
(517) 241-2978.
MDA is the official state agency charged with serving,
promoting, and
protecting the food, agriculture and agriculture economic
interest of
the people of the state of Michigan. MDA programs serve
all sectors of
agriculture, which is Michigan*s second largest industry.
###
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