TX Department of Agriculture Announces Assistance for Growers and Handlers of Organic Agricultural Products

AUSTIN – The Texas Department of Agriculture announced it will receive $317,600 in federal funding to help growers and handlers of organic agricultural products defray the costs of obtaining organic certification. Grant funds will be available to help recover part of the cost of applying for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) organic certification. Applications are due Oct. 31, 2014.

Producers and handlers who incurred expenses for obtaining or renewing their organic certification between Oct. 1, 2013 and Sept. 30, 2014 are eligible for reimbursement. Payments are limited to 75 percent of an individual producer’s certification costs, up to a maximum of $750 per certificate or category of certification, which includes crops, livestock, handling and wild crops.

Grant funding is provided by USDA’s National Organic Certification Cost-Share Program. Approximately $11.5 million is available nationwide for organic certification cost-sharing assistance. The goal is to make obtaining organic certification more accessible for producers and handlers.

To learn more and download an application, visit www.TexasAgriculture.gov and click on the Grants & Services tab, or click here. For questions on the application process, contact TDA’s grants office at (512) 463-9932 or [email protected].