Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP)

OCCSP provides cost share assistance to producers and handlers of agricultural products who are obtaining or renewing their certification under the National Organic Program (NOP). Certified operations may receive up to 75 percent of their certification costs paid during the program year, not to exceed $750 per certification scope. The deadline to apply is October 31, 2024

Eligible OCCSP applicants include any certified organic producers or handlers who have paid organic certification fees to a USDA-accredited certifying agent.     

Cost share assistance covers expenses including application fees, inspection costs, fees related to equivalency agreement and arrangement requirements, inspector travel expenses, user fees, sales assessments and postage. OCCSP pays a maximum of $750 per certification category for crops, wild crops, livestock, processing/handling, and state organic program fees (California only).

Organic Certification Cost Share Fact Sheet

Organic Certification Cost Share Fact Sheet (Spanish)

For more information on organic certification and regulations, visit the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service’s organic website.

Applying for OCCSP

Producers and handlers interested in applying for OCCSP through FSA should contact their local USDA Service Center. As part of completing the OCCSP application, producers and handlers will need to provide documentation of their organic certification and eligible expenses. Organic producers and handlers may also apply for OCCSP through participating state departments of agriculture.  

FSA also accepted applications from state departments of agriculture to administer OCCSP. The contact information for the State Departments of Agriculture who chose to participate in OCCSP for 2024 can be found here: (OCCP State Agency Contact List)

If a state department of agriculture chose to participate in OCCSP, both the state department of agriculture and FSA County Offices in that state will accept OCCSP applications and make payments to eligible certified operations.  A producer or handler may apply for OCCSP reimbursement from either the state department of agriculture or through a local FSA office; they cannot receive payment from both.

However, the producer or handler may only receive OCCSP assistance from either FSA or the participating state department of agriculture.

OCCSP Success Video

OCCSP Success Story


OCCSP Reports to Congress

The annual reports to Congress provides a state-by-state overview of:

  • Funds used by each state
  • Funds reimbursed to certified organic farms and businesses
  • Number of certified organic farms and businesses served

View the annual reports: