The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (VAAFM) offers funding assistance through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) to organic producers and handlers of agricultural products who have received organic certification through a USDA-accredited certifying agent.
Certified organic producers and handlers who have paid certification fees to become newly certified or re-certified for specific scopes under the National Organic Program (NOP) are eligible for cost-share reimbursement.
Certified organic operations may receive reimbursement of up to 50% of their direct certification costs paid between October 1 and September 30 annually, not to exceed $500 per certification scope. There are up to four eligible certification scopes (crops, livestock, wild crops, and handling), which must be individually inspected for organic certification to be eligible for reimbursement.
Allowable Costs include application fees, inspection fees, USDA organic certification costs, user fees/sale assessments, and postage.
To learn more and apply, please visit: agriculture.vermont.gov/grants/organiccostshare
The application deadline is November 1, 2022. Reimbursement is available on a first come, first served basis.
Contact Terry Smith at terry.smith@vermont.gov or (802)828-5667.