The Kansas Department of Agriculture has funds available for the National Organic Certification Cost Share Program (NOCCSP), allowing farms, ranches and businesses which produce, process or package certified organic agricultural products to be reimbursed for eligible expenses.

The NOCCSP allows state agencies to provide reimbursement to certified organic operators for up to 75 percent of the operation’s total allowable certification costs, up to a maximum of $750 per certification scope in the areas of crops, livestock, wild crops and handling (i.e., processing). The current period of qualification for organic operations seeking reimbursements is from Oct. 1, 2016, through Sept. 30, 2017, and applications will be accepted through December 15, 2017.

The application for the cost share funding, as well as other information about the program, is available on the KDA website at agriculture.ks.gov/organiccostshare. Reimbursements will be on a first-come, first-served basis, based on receipt of the completed application packet, until available funding is exhausted.

Beginning in fiscal year 2017, the United States Department of Agriculture has transferred the authority to administer USDA’s two Organic Certification Cost Share Programs from the Agriculture Marketing Service to the Farm Service Agency. FSA awards the NOCCSP funds to eligible state agencies that serve as administering entities who work directly with organic operations to reimburse organic certification costs.

KDA is committed to serving all Kansas farmers and encouraging economic growth of the agriculture industry, which is the state’s largest economic driver.

Questions regarding cost share funds for organic certification may be directed to KDA economist Kellen Liebsch at Kellen.Liebsch@ks.gov or 785-564-6726. Additional information can be found at the USDA National Organic Program website at www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/occsp/.