U.S. Department of Agriculture is taking new steps to enhance organic markets and support food producers to make it easier for farmers to enter the organic market.
USDA is "taking additional steps" to strengthen the U.S. market for domestically grown organic goods and to support food producers who want organic certification, according to a May 10 news release.
"As USDA works to help make our nation's food system more resilient and create more options for producers and consumers, we recognize the important role the organic industry can play in expanding opportunities for value-added agriculture, strengthening supply chains and generating revenue for farmers," Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in the news release. "For many farmers, the transition period before attaining organic certification can be cost-prohibitive, so USDA is also helping mitigate the risk involved for farmers who want to be able to grow and market organic crops."
USDA's news release included information about funding opportunities through the department's Organic Transition Initiative, launched last fall, aimed at helping existing organic farmers and those transitioning to organic processing and production.
Consumer demand for organically produced goods surged past $67 billion last year, which means a strong market for U.S. farmers, but USDA, after public comment and listening sessions, has found producers face barriers to entering the market, the release reported. Among other things, those producers face a three-year transition to organic certification, cost barriers due to limited markets for rotational crops, lack of certainty about market access and other "longstanding market issues."
USDA also noted the organic livestock and processed product markets rely heavily on imported agricultural products for feed grains and other key ingredients, made complicated during the pandemic and international conflicts, according to the release.
To address those challenges, USDA is offering two funding opportunities as part of the Organic Transition Initiative, the release said. The first opportunity is the Organic Market Development Grant Program that provides funding for organic research and education projects. The deadline to apply for that program is July 11.
The second opportunity, the Organic Certification Cost Share Program, is a loan program that provides funding for organic producers to upgrade their facilities and equipment, according to the release. Under this opportunity, USDA's Farm Service Agency will cover up to 75% of costs of organic certification, up to $750 for crops, wild crops, livestock, processing/handling and - in California - state organic program fees incurred Oct. 1, 2022-Sept. 30. The application deadline is Oct. 31.
