The U.S. Department of Agriculture earmarked $200 million in assistance for specialty crop producers that regularly face eligible on-farm food safety program expenses in securing food safety certification through 2023.
The government’s new Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops program is designed to counterbalance costs for specialty crop producers to comply with regulatory requirements and market-driven food safety certification requirements, according to a June 17 news release. These are reportedly aims of the USDA’s goal of converting the food system into a more level playing field for small and medium producers and a more balanced, equitable economy for all those employed across the industry.
“The ongoing economic challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic have created substantial financial challenges for small and very small producers to meet regulatory requirements and access additional markets,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in the release. “These challenges were particularly acute for specialty crop producers, many of whom needed to quickly and completely pivot their operations as demand shifted away from traditional markets, like restaurants and food service.”
For each year, the program is set to cover a percentage of the specialty crop operation’s cost of obtaining or renewing their certification, along with a portion of all related expenses, the release reported.
“As we build back better, our food systems must be both more inclusive and more competitive,” Vilsack added, according to the release. “By helping mitigate the costs of on-farm food safety certification, the FSCSC program will support fair, transparent food systems rooted in local and regional production and provide small-scale producers a real opportunity to bring home a greater share of the food dollar and help create jobs.”
Specialty crop operators were free to begin applying for assistance as of June 21 and must satisfy such requirements as meeting the definition of a small business and having paid eligible expenses related to the 2022 or 2023 certification.
