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REPORT TO CONGRESS

Fiscal Year (FY) 2015

NATIONAL AND AGRICULTURAL MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE

ORGANIC CERTIFICATION COST SHARE PROGRAMS

I. BACKGROUND

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) administers two organic

certification cost-share programs: the National Organic Certification Cost Share Program (National) 

and the Agricultural Management Assistance Organic Certification Cost Share Program (AMA),

collectively referred to as the Organic Certification Cost Share Programs (OCCSP).

The AMS administers the OCCSP by awarding funds to participating States that in turn reimburse

organic producers and handlers for specific costs related to organic certification. To be eligible,

recipients must receive an initial certification or continuation of certification from a USDA-accredited

certifying agent, in accordance with the USDA organic regulations. The annual reimbursement is set

at 75 percent of certification costs, with a maximum of $750 per certification category: crops,

livestock, wild crops, and handling. Operations that are certified in more than one category are eligible

for a reimbursement of $750 maximum per certification category, not to exceed 75 percent of total 

certification costs.

Each Federal fiscal year, AMS announces the availability of the National and AMA funds through a

variety of communication channels, such as telephone calls and emails to State contacts, outreach

materials, and informational postings to Grants.gov and the AMS Web site: www.ams.usda.gov.

A. National OCCSP

The National OCCSP is authorized under section 10606(d)(1) of the Farm Security and

Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 6523(d)), as amended by section 10004(c) of the

Agriculture Act of 2014 (2014 Farm Bill; Pub. L. 113–79).

The Agricultural Act of 2014 reauthorized the National OCCSP and provides “no year”

funding for the National OCCSP, which is open to certified organic producers and handlers in 

the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. Territories (hereafter referred to as

“States”). The 56 States are eligible to use the funds; however, six chose not to participate,

specifically, as follows: the American Samoa, the District of Columbia, Guam, Kentucky, the 

Northern Mariana Islands and Utah. Puerto Rico participated by counter-signing the grant 

agreement, but no reimbursement requests were submitted.
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B. The Agricultural Management Assistance Cost Share Program

The AMA OCCSP is authorized under the Federal Crop Insurance Act (FCIA), as amended

(7 U.S.C. 1524). Under this authority, Congress authorizes USDA to annually provide organic

certification cost share assistance to certified organic producers operating in 16 specifically

named States: Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New

Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, West

Virginia, and Wyoming. Of the 16 States, West Virginia and Utah chose not to participate,

citing inadequate resources to manage the AMA OCCSP funds. To prevent duplicate assistance 

payments, producers participating in the AMA OCCSP are not eligible to participate in the

producer portion of the National OCCSP.

II. FISCAL YEAR 2015

A. National Participation

Under the 2015 National OCCSP, $10,666,5001 was apportioned for 56 States. AMS allocated

$10,364,400 to the 49 States which signed agreements with AMS to participate. These States 

subsequently disbursed $7,460,209 in cost-share assistance to 10,518 qualifying organic 

operations. The $302,100 difference between the total apportionments for the program and the 

amount AMS allocated to the 49 participating States includes funds apportioned for the 7 nonparticipating States plus AMS administrative cost. The funds allocated to the non-participating 

States will roll over for use in the next fiscal year because OCCSP funds are no-year funds.

The Appendix to this report provides State-by-State data on the funds allocated and disbursed by 

participating State, the number of certified organic operations benefiting from the reimbursement

of certification costs, and the percent of allocated funds used. National OCCSP agreements 

signed by participating States for 2015 are in effect from October 1, 2014, through September 

30, 2018. Only a few States have disbursed all of their allocated funds in 2015 at the time of this 

report. The other participating States have until September 30, 2018, to disburse their remaining 

funds. Disbursements vary by the number of requests for reimbursement submitted by organic 

operations. 

B. AMA Participation

Under the 2015 AMA OCCSP, $927,0002 was apportioned for 16 States authorized to receive 

funds by the legislation. AMS allocated $867,100 to the 14 States which signed agreements with 

AMS to participate. The $59,900 difference between the total apportionment for the program and 

the amount AMS allocated to the 14 participating States includes funds apportioned for the two 

non-participating States (Utah and West Virginia) plus AMS administrative cost. The

participating States subsequently disbursed $807,659 in cost share assistance to 1,391 qualifying 

organic operations. The funds allocated for the non-participating states as well as funds not used 

by participating states are returned to the Treasury because AMA OCCSP funds are annual funds.

 1 In fiscal year 2015, National OCCSP was authorized funding at $11,500,000 and then sequestered at 7.3% for a total 

apportionment of $10,666,500.

In fiscal year 2015, AMA was authorized funding at $1,000,000 and then sequestered at 7.3% for a total apportionment of 

$927,000.
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The Appendix to this report provides individual State data on the funds allocated, reimbursed by 

the States, the number of certified organic operations benefiting from the reimbursement, and the

percent of allocated funds used. AMA OCCSP agreements signed by participating States for 

2015 were in effect from October 1, 2014, through September 30, 2015. Some States disbursed 

their total allocation, and others did not receive enough requests from eligible organic operations 

for certification cost reimbursement to expend their total allocation. 
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III.APPENDIX

National Cost Share Program FY 2015 Allocation, Disbursement and Use of Funds by the 

Participating States

State Total Allocation1 Amount Paid as

Reimbursements2

Number of

Operations

Assisted3

Percent of

Funds Used4

Alabama $15,800 $10,089 13 64%

Alaska $13,100 $12,542 16 96%

Arizona $74,500 $50,356 85 68%

Arkansas $25,600 $16,200 32 63%

California $2,173,600 $1,912,232 2384 88%

Colorado $191,400 $191,400 250 100%

Connecticut $58,800 $15,530 230 26%

Delaware $11,500 $3,750 5 33%

Florida $175,100 $130,498 166 75%

Georgia $96,300 $58,316 86 61%

Hawaii $81,000 $52,137 163 64%

Idaho $200,000 $113,048 140 57%

Illinois $202,800 $77,729 167 38%

Indiana $202,300 $58,343 88 29%

Iowa $418,000 $297,682 414 71%

Kansas $68,500 $50,706 65 74%

Louisiana $20,200 $12,152 14 60%

Maine $249,500 $233,591 320 94%

Maryland $84,300 $13,613 31 16%

Massachusetts $124,000 $30,795 49 25%

Michigan $272,400 $192,189 234 71%

Minnesota $541,500 $464,410 562 86%

Mississippi $12,600 $2,910 5 23%

Missouri $127,800 $99,347 190 78%

Montana $110,900 $108,108 185 97%

Nebraska $115,300 $99,360 117 86%

Nevada $44,100 $4,203 16 10%

New Hampshire $81,600 $21,600 11 26%

New Jersey $136,500 $48,342 66 35%

New Mexico $81,600 $64,749 77 79%

New York $607,200 $206,864 202 34%

North Carolina $160,900 $151,278 200 94%

North Dakota $88,100 $4,867 6 6%

Ohio $369,100 $284,185 357 77%
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National Cost Share Program FY 2015

Allocation, Disbursement and Use of Funds by the Participating States (cont.)

State Total Allocation1 Amount Paid as

Reimbursements2

Number of

Operations

Assisted3

Percent of

Funds Used4

Oklahoma $41,400 $16,291 63 39%

Oregon $390,900 $313,896 370 80%

Pennsylvania $453,400 $148,068 364 33%

Rhode Island $24,000 $4,203 6 18%

South Carolina $31,000 $13,065 15 42%

South Dakota $57,100 $56,882 76 100%

Tennessee $36,500 $18,135 28 50%

Texas $247,900 $95,920 101 39%

Vermont $327,800 $323,170 794 99%

Virginia $92,500 $52,629 132 57%

Washington $600,700 $542,564 835 90%

West Virginia $10,400 $6,000 8 58%

Wisconsin $770,200 $770,200 771 100%

Wyoming $39,700 $5,315 8 13%

US Virgin

Islands

$5,000 $750 1 15%

Total $ 10,364,400 $7,460,209 10,518 72%

1 Amount AMS authorized the State to use for reimbursement to certified organic operations plus up to 10% indirect cost to cover States’

administrative expenses.

2 Funds paid by States to reimburse certified organic operators plus up to 10% indirect cost to cover States’ administrative expenses. Any

difference between the amount requested and the amount paid to operators is held for future disbursement. 3

Number of certified operations that received reimbursement. 4

Total reimbursement divided by the total allocation amount.
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AMA Cost Share Program FY 2015 Allocation, Disbursement and Use of Funds by the 

Participating States

State Total Allocation1 Amount Paid as

Reimbursements2

Number of

Operations

Assisted3

Percent of

Funds Used4

Connecticut $24,000 $24,000 45 100%

Delaware $7,300 $2,401 6 33%

Hawaii $31,900 $29,899 45 94%

Maine $91,500 $91,500 146 100%

Maryland $33,000 $33,000 78 100%

Massachusetts $47,100 $47,092 72 100%

Nevada $18,800 $8,999 17 48%

New Hampshire $32,100 $32,100 60 100%

New Jersey $51,500 $15,565 40 30%

New York $218,100 $218,100 515 100%

Pennsylvania $163,600 $163,598 188 100%

Rhode Island $11,700 $4,905 18 42%

Vermont $119,200 $119,200 138 100% 

Wyoming $17,300 $17,300 23 100%

Total $867,100 $807,659 1,391 93%

1 Amount AMS authorized the State to use for reimbursement to certified organic operations plus up to 10% indirect cost to cover States’

administrative expenses.

2 Funds paid by States to reimburse certified organic operators plus up to 10% indirect cost to cover States’ administrative expenses. Any

difference between the amount requested and the amount paid to operators is returned to the federal government. 3 Number of certified operations that received reimbursement. 4 Total reimbursement divided by the total allocation amount.