REPORT TO CONGRESS

Fiscal Year (FY) 2021

NATIONAL AND AGRICULTURAL MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE

ORGANIC CERTIFICATION COST SHARE PROGRAMS

I. BACKGROUND

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) administers two organic certification cost share programs

collectively referred to as the Organic Certification Cost Share Programs (OCCSP): (1) The National

Organic Certification Cost Share Program (National), and (2) The Agricultural Management Assistance 

Organic Certification Cost Share Program (AMA). 

The Farm Service Agency (FSA) provides cost share assistance through two approaches: (1) By 

establishing grant agreements with State agencies that provide cost share payments to producers and 

handlers in their State; and (2) by issuing payments directly to producers and handlers who apply for cost 

share payments at one of FSA’s 2,156 county offices. Applicants may apply with either the State agency 

or FSA in States where a State agency participates in OCCSP. However, applicants may not apply 

through both the State agency and FSA. 

OCCSP is administered according to the Notices of Funds Availability published on April 29, 2019 

(84 FR 17997-17999), and August 10, 2020 (85 FR 48149-48150). In 2021, FSA announced the 

availability of 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 through the FSA Web site: 

https://www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/occsp/index. 

To be eligible for OCCSP, applicants must receive an initial certification or continuation of 

certification from a USDA-accredited certifying agent, in accordance with the USDA organic 

regulations. Due to unexpected participation levels and the limited funds available, FSA revised the 

reimbursement amount available through FY 2023. The 2021 reimbursement amount was 50 percent of 

certification costs, with a maximum of $500 per certification category: crops, livestock, wild crops, 

processing/handling, and State Organic Program fees.

1

 Operations that were certified in more than one

category were eligible for a maximum reimbursement of $500 per certification category, not to exceed 

50 percent of total certification costs. This change allowed a larger number of certified organic 

operations to receive assistance. The changes to the payment calculation and maximum payment 

amount are applicable to all certified organic operations, regardless of whether they apply through an 

FSA county office or a participating State agency. 

A. National OCCSP

The National OCCSP is authorized under Section 10606 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act 

of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 6523), as amended by Section 10004(c) of the Agriculture Act of 2014 (2014 Farm 

1 State Organic Program fee was added as an eligible category in 2017. It applies only to producers in a State with a 

recognized State Organic Program under the National Organic Program regulations.
2

Bill; Pub. L. 113–79), and Section 10105 of the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm 

Bill; Pub. L. 115-334), which reauthorized the National OCCSP and provided “no year” funding,

available to certified organic producers and handlers in the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and five 

U.S. Territories (hereafter referred to as “States”).2 Twenty-six State agencies chose not to participate

in FY 2021; however, certified operations in all States could participate through FSA county offices. 

State agencies that did not participate are American Samoa, Colorado, Delaware, the District of

Columbia, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska, 

Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, the Northern Mariana Islands, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, South 

Dakota, Tennessee, U.S. Virgin Islands, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming. Funds obligated through 

grant agreements that are not used are returned to FSA and available for later years.

B. The AMA OCCSP

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

(7 U.S.C. 1524(b)). 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.

State agencies in Delaware, Hawaii, New Hampshire, Nevada, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming 

chose not to participate, citing inadequate resources to manage the program or a decision to let FSA 

administer all OCCSP payments in that State. To prevent duplicate assistance payments, producers 

participating in the AMA OCCSP are not eligible to participate in the producer portion of the National

OCCSP. Unused funds are returned to the Treasury because AMA OCCSP funds are annual funds.

II. FY 2021

A. National Participation

Under the 2021 National OCCSP, $3,772,0003 was available under the 2018 Farm Bill, and $2,039,189

in unobligated funding was available from prior years. FSA allocated $4,321,850 to the 30 State

agencies that signed grant agreements. These State agencies subsequently disbursed $3,648,075 in cost

share assistance to 6,017 qualifying organic operations. Funds apportioned for FY 2021 that were not 

allocated to State agencies were available to provide payments directly to certified operations through 

FSA county offices and cover FSA administrative costs. Under the 2021 National OCCSP, FSA county 

offices have disbursed $1,858,131 to 4,460 certified operations. Any remaining National OCCSP funds 

that were not spent by State agencies or FSA remain available for future FYs . 

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

participating State agencies and FSA county offices. Disbursements vary by the number of requests for 

reimbursement submitted by organic operations.

2 The 2018 Farm Bill authorized $2 million from CCC to be used for National OCCSP for each of FYs 2019 and 2020, 

$4 million for FY 2021, and $8 million for each of FYs 2022 and 2023, to remain available until expended.

3 The 2018 Farm Bill authorized $4 million in National OCCSP funding for FY 2021, which was sequestered at 5.7% for a 

total apportionment of $3,772,000.
3

B. AMA Participation

Under the 2021 AMA OCCSP, $943,0004 was apportioned for 16 States authorized to receive funds by 

the legislation. FSA allocated $836,750 to the nine States that signed agreements with FSA to 

participate. The participating State agencies subsequently disbursed $622,360 in cost share assistance to 

1,281 qualifying organic operations.

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

participating State agencies and FSA county offices. 

4 In FY 2021, AMA OCCSP was authorized $1,000,000 and then sequestered at 5.7% for a total apportionment of $943,000.
4

III. APPENDIX

National Organic Certification Cost Share Program FY 2021 Allocation and Disbursement 

State

State Agency Funding and 

Disbursements Funds 

Disbursed by 

FSA County 

Offices

Number of

Operations

Assisted by 

State 

Agencies

Number of 

Operations 

Assisted by 

FSA County 

FY 2021 Allocation Offices 1

FY 2021 Funds 

Disbursed2

Alabama $2,000 $0 $3,035 0 7

Alaska $6,550 $4,993 $0 10 0

American Samoa N/A N/A $0 0 0

Arizona $41,350 $40,937 $3,000 48 6

Arkansas $3,400 $2,209 $7,387 7 19

California $1,437,800 $1,347,437 $29,843 1,827 79

Colorado N/A N/A $103,711 0 216

Connecticut $14,450 $5,100 $6,800 27 23

Delaware N/A N/A $1,868 0 4

Dist. of Columbia N/A N/A $0 0 0

Florida $29,500 $29,500 $13,433 56 31

Georgia N/A N/A $31,469 0 68

Guam N/A N/A $0 0 0

Hawaii N/A N/A $44,644 0 104

Idaho N/A N/A $69,354 0 164

Illinois N/A N/A $105,524 0 232

Indiana N/A N/A $192,240 0 464

Iowa N/A N/A $188,917 0 485

Kansas $22,350 $17,713 $23,265 35 49

Kentucky $33,700 $15,180 $3,150 82 7

Louisiana N/A N/A $8,773 0 19

Maine $144,050 $120,754 $2,148 212 5

Maryland $22,700 $6,874 $2,465 22 5

Massachusetts $3,350 $3,250 $40,013 8 105

Michigan N/A N/A $140,235 0 333

Minnesota $272,950 $272,434 $72,343 480 169

Mississippi $3,300 $876 $8,697 1 22

Missouri $32,950 $11,637 $31,738 23 68

Montana $98,550 $98,319 $13,843 178 32

Nebraska N/A N/A $84,825 0 183

Nevada N/A N/A $13,484 0 31

New Hampshire N/A N/A 9,836 0 56

New Jersey $32,300 $32,300 $4,739 64 13

New Mexico N/A N/A $8,332 0 17

New York $183,250 $93,722 $123,262 160 363

North Carolina $105,800 $82,496 $20,661 156 45

North Dakota $70,800 $65,250 $2,765 100 6

N. Mariana 

Islands

N/A NA $0 0 0

Ohio $228,700 $167,908 $29,573 290 75

Oklahoma N/A N/A $9,845 0 30
5

State

State Agency Funding and 

Disbursements Funds 

Disbursed by 

FSA County 

Offices

Number of

Operations

Assisted by 

State 

Agencies

Number of 

Operations 

Assisted by 

FSA County 

FY 2021 Allocation Offices 1

FY 2021 Funds 

Disbursed2

Oregon $109,250 $104,698 $60,918 187 142

Pennsylvania $143,900 $143,456 $35,502 274 88

Puerto Rico N/A N/A $0 0 0

Rhode Island $5,400 $4,533 $1,825 9 6

South Carolina $8,900 $6,308 $2,216 19 8

South Dakota N/A N/A $33,225 0 85

Tennessee N/A N/A $11,709 0 26

Texas $25,150 $24,991 $43,977 51 92

U.S. Virgin N/A N/A $0 0 0

Utah N/A N/A $13,911 0 31

Vermont $216,850 $186,345 $20,715 350 49

Virginia $20,600 $16,508 $66,935 29 145

Washington $416,000 $244,513 $26,763 450 59

West Virginia N/A N/A $4,761 0 13

Wisconsin $586,000 $497,834 $64,672 862 146

Wyoming N/A N/A $15,785 0 35

Total $4,321,850 $3,648,075 $1,858,131 6,017 4,460

1 Amount FSA authorized the State agency to use for reimbursement to certified organic operations plus indirect cost, if applicable, to cover 

State agencies administrative expenses. N/A represents non-participation by the State agency. 2 Funds paid by State agency to reimburse certified organic operators plus indirect cost, if applicable, to cover State agencies’ administrative 

expenses.
6

AMA Organic Certification Cost Share Program FY 2021 Allocation and Disbursement 

State

State Agency Funding and 

Disbursements Funds 

Disbursed by 

FSA County 

Offices3

Number of

Operations

Assisted by 

State Agencies

Number of 

Operations 

Assisted by 

County Offices3

FY 2021

Allocation1

FY 2021 Funds 

Disbursed2

Connecticut $26,100 $11,425 $0 12 0

Delaware N/A N/A $0 0 0

Hawaii N/A N/A $0 0 0

Maine $177,400 $127,555 $0 279 0

Maryland $32,600 $20,738 $0 79 0

Massachusetts $30,500 $8,338 $0 20 0

Nevada N/A N/A $0 0 0

New Hampshire N/A N/A $0 0 0

New Jersey $16,100 $9,603 $0 33 0

New York $244,150 $184,729 $0 343 0

Pennsylvania $107,800 $60,212 $0 118 0

Rhode Island $6,400 $4,098 $0 21 0

Utah N/A N/A $0 0 0

Vermont $195,700 $195,665 $0 376 0

West Virginia N/A N/A $0 0 0

Wyoming N/A N/A $0 0 0

Total $836,750 $622,363 $0 1,281 0

1 Amount FSA authorized the State agency to use for reimbursement to certified organic operations plus indirect cost, if applicable, to cover 

State agencies administrative expenses. N/A represents non-participation by the State agency.

2 Funds paid by State agency to reimburse certified organic operators plus indirect cost, if applicable, to cover State agencies administrative 

expenses.

3 AMA funds were used to fund grant agreements with the State agency and were not paid through FSA.