Organic certification funding available

May 15, 2015

More than $11 million being made accessible

More people in the United States are becoming more conscious about what they’re eating and where it comes from, especially when it comes to food that’s labelled as organic.

Organic

As a result, farmers around the country are under pressure to try and keep up with the demands of the people who are enjoying the crops being grown.

The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agriculture Marketing Service realizes this and is making almost $11.9 million available for organic certification costs.

"The organic industry saw record growth in 2014, accounting for over $39 billion in retail sales in the United States," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "The organic certification cost share programs help more organic businesses succeed and take advantage of economic opportunities in this growing market."

The funding will be provided by two different programs.

The National Organic Certification Cost Share Program will contribute about $11 million for organic farms and businesses throughout the country.

The Agricultural Management Assistance (AMA) Organic Certification Cost Share Program will contribute about $900,000 to organic producers (crop and livestock only) in Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia and Wyoming.

In order to be eligible for the funding, organic producers are encouraged to contact their appropriate state agencies.

Each state has their own deadlines for applying, but farmers applying for the AMA funding are strongly encouraged to apply early as the funds are only available until September 30, 2015.

Tell us your thoughts about the funding available for organic producers across the United States. If you’re an organic farmer, is this funding something you’d apply for? If you were considering growing organic would this help you? How would you use it?

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.