Organic Certification Cost Share Program

In an industrial park in Arlington, Virginia, there is something you might not expect – a farm. Area 2 Farms is an indoor, organic, soil-based farm that seeks to expand their ultra-local model nationwide.

The organic community needs more farmers, ranchers and handlers to produce everything from organic vegetables to organic grains to organic meats. Consumer demand for organic products continues to grow, with retail sales hitting over $39 billion in the United States in 2014 and over $75 billion...

More and more farmers are entering the organic market. Just last year, the number of certified operations in the U.S. grew by almost 12 percent - more than double the growth rate of 2014. So how do farmers, ranchers, and food processors make the transition to organic? We talked to one farming family...

Consumers are increasingly looking for organic products when they visit the supermarket. Last year, organic products reached a record number of sales, accounting for over $39 billion in U.S. retail sales. To meet consumer demand, the industry needs more organic operations to produce everything from...

The cost of organic certification is becoming more affordable for many certified producers and handlers. Thanks to support from the 2014 Farm Bill, cost share and assistance programs are available to organic producers and handlers through fiscal year 2018. Cost share programs benefit certified...

Organic agriculture serves as an engine for rural development, representing a $35 billion industry in the United States alone. USDA is committed to protecting the integrity of organic products, and ensuring that all of our agencies work together to help the organic sector continue to grow. Members...

This is the seventh installment of the Organic 101 series that explores different aspects of the USDA organic regulations. Annual organic certification fees allow certifiers to carry out their responsibilities. These fees vary according to an operation’s size and other variables. In light of that...