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[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 172 (Tuesday, September 6, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 54999]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-22611]

[[Page 54999]]

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Doc. No. AMS-NOP-11-0072; NOP-11-13]

Notice of 2011 National Organic Certification Cost-Share Program

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of Funds Availability: Inviting Applications from State 
Departments of Agriculture for the National Organic Certification Cost-
Share Program.

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SUMMARY: This Notice invites all States of the United States of 
America, its territories, the District of Columbia, and the 
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, (hereinafter collectively called States) 
to submit an Application for Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424) and 
to enter into a cooperative agreement with the Agricultural Marketing 
Service (AMS) for the allocation of National Organic Certification 
Cost-Share Funds. Beginning in Fiscal Year 2008, the AMS allocated 
$22.0 million for the national organic certification cost-share 
program. These funds will be allocated annually to States through 
cooperative agreements until exhausted. Funds are available to States 
interested in providing cost-share assistance to organic producers and 
handlers certified under the USDA Organic Regulations (7 CFR 205). 
States interested in obtaining cost-share funds must submit an 
Application for Federal Assistance and enter into a cooperative 
agreement with AMS for allocation of funds.

DATES: Completed Applications for Federal Assistance and signed 
cooperative agreements must be received by the National Organic Program 
(NOP) no later than September 23, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Applications for federal assistance shall be submitted via 
http://www.grants.gov. Paper applications will not be accepted. 
Instructions for submitting applications are available on the National 
Organic Program's Web site at http://www.ams.usda.gov/NOPCostSharing. 
Signed cooperative agreements should be sent via express mail to Betsy 
Rakola, Agricultural Marketing Specialist, National Organic Program, 
USDA/AMS/NOP, Room 2646-South, Ag Stop 0268, 1400 Independence Avenue, 
SW., Washington, DC 20250-0268.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Betsy Rakola, Agricultural Marketing 
Specialist, National Organic Program, USDA/AMS/NOP, Room 2646-South, Ag 
Stop 0268, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-0268; 
Telephone: (202) 720-3252. E-mail: Betsy.Rakola@ams.usda.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This National Organic Certification Cost-
Share Program is authorized under 7 U.S.C. 6523, as amended by section 
10301 of the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 (Act). The Act 
authorizes the Department to provide certification cost-share 
assistance to producers and handlers of organic agricultural products 
in all States. Beginning in Fiscal Year 2008, the AMS allocated $22 
million for this program to be distributed to interested States, until 
funding has been exhausted. The Program provides financial assistance 
to organic producers and handlers certified to the USDA Organic 
Regulations (7 CFR 205). The National Organic Program is authorized 
under the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990, as amended (7 U.S.C. 
6501 et seq.).
    To participate in the program, interested States, through their 
State Department of Agriculture, must complete an Application for 
Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424) and enter into a written 
cooperative agreement with AMS. State Department of Agriculture refers 
to agencies, commissions, or departments of State government 
responsible for implementing regulation, policy or programs on 
agriculture within their State. The program will provide cost-share 
assistance, through participating States, to organic producers and 
handlers receiving certification or incurring expenses for the 
continuation of certification by a USDA accredited certifying agent 
during the period of October 1, 2011, through September 30, 2012. Under 
the Act, cost-share assistance payments are limited to 75% (seventy-
five percent) of an individual producer's or handler's certification 
costs up to a maximum of $750 (seven-hundred and fifty dollars) per 
year. To receive cost-share assistance, organic producers and handlers 
should contact their State Departments of Agriculture. Procedures for 
applying are outlined in the program's policies and procedures document 
at http://1.usa.gov/OrganicCostShare.
    For producers in the states of Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, 
Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New 
York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, and 
Wyoming, cost-share funding is available under the Agricultural 
Management Assistance (AMA) Organic Certification Cost-Share Program. 
The AMA program is authorized under Section 1524 of the Federal Crop 
Insurance Act, as amended (7 U.S.C. 1501-1524). As provided in a notice 
of Funds Availability published separately in the Federal Register, 
completed applications for the AMA federal assistance program, along 
with signed cooperative agreements, must be received by the NOP no 
later than September 23, 2011. Information on the AMA program can be 
found on the NOP's Web site at http://www.ams.usda.gov/NOPCostSharing.
    How to Submit Applications: To receive funds for cost-share 
assistance, a State Department of Agriculture must complete an 
Application for Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424) and enter into a 
written cooperative agreement with AMS. Interested States should submit 
the Application for Federal Assistance, (Standard Form 424) 
electronically via Grants.gov, the Federal grants Web site, at http://www.grants.gov. For information on how to use Grants.Gov, please 
consult http://www.grants.gov/GetRegistered. Applications must be filed 
by Friday, September 23, 2011. Cooperative agreements will be sent by 
the AMS to participating State Departments of Agriculture via express 
mail. The cooperative agreement must have the original signature of an 
official who has authority to apply for Federal assistance. The signed 
cooperative agreement must be sent by express mail and received by the 
NOP by September 23, 2011 at the address specified previously.
    The National Organic Certification Cost-share Program is listed in 
the ``Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance'' under number 10.171. 
Subject agencies must adhere to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 
1964, which bars discrimination in all Federally-assisted programs. 
Additional information on the National Organic Certification Cost-share 
Program can be found on the NOP's Web site at http://www.ams.usda.gov/NOPCostSharing.

    Authority:  7 U.S.C. 6523.

    Dated: August 29, 2011.
Ellen King,
Acting Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-22611 Filed 9-2-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P
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