Expired Farm Bill Could Jeopardize Organic Certification Cost Share Program
The National Organic Coalition (NOC) is urging Congress to renew funding for an essential organic Farm Bill program, the Organic Certification Cost Share Program. With the September 30, 2023, expiration of the 2018 Farm Bill, this organic program is now at risk.
The organic certification cost share program provides a partial reimbursement to defray the cost of organic certification for organic farmers and processors. The cost of organic certification is going up, but the cost-share reimbursements haven’t been updated in fifteen years. Modernizing the cost share program in this next Farm Bill is critical to ensure that certification costs do not limit the growth of the organic sector and the adoption of regenerative organic practices.
If Congress passes a Farm Bill this winter or even in the early spring with adequate funding for the Organic Certification Cost Share Program, farmers will receive cost share reimbursements without interruption in 2024.
But the cost share program is especially vulnerable in an environment where Congress decides to extend the current Farm Bill. In the absence of a special provision, the Cost Share Program would expire, leaving thousands of organic farmers with a huge net increase in their annual certification costs. This is because the Organic Certification Cost Share Program is too small to have ‘permanent baseline’ funding status.
“Organic certification is no small feat. It involves careful planning, detailed record keeping, an annual inspection, and compliance with strict standards to improve soil health, sequester carbon, and protect natural resources,” said Abby Youngblood, Executive Director at the National Organic Coalition. “Some operations pay thousands of dollars every year to get certified. Without action on the part of Congress to fund the Organic Certification Cost Share Program, organic operations will take a big hit in 2024.”
The Organic Certification Cost Share Program is a wise investment of resources because it incentivizes the adoption of voluntary practices that protect soil health and water quality and contribute to farm viability and additional marketing opportunities. Organic represents an important market opportunity for U.S. producers - 4 out of 5 American households regularly purchase organic products.
Unfortunately, a lot of organic food is imported because production in the U.S. does not meet domestic demand. NOC has endorsed the recently introduced Opportunities in Organic Act, a bill that could help encourage more domestic production of organic food. This legislation would modernize the Organic Certification Cost Share Program and expand technical assistance to help producers participate in the USDA organic program.
The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) and some state Departments of Agriculture are currently accepting 2023 Organic Certification Cost Share Program applications – the deadline is November 1, 2023. Farmers who apply for support for 2023 will still receive reimbursements even after the September 30 Farm Bill expiration date.