Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP)

Updated October 29, 2026: Revised to reflect current USDA OCCSP reimbursement rates, eligible program years, application deadlines, and Texas application information.

I have gotten emails from several of the national organic groups telling me that the Cost Share program for organic certification was finally open. On one of the emails, they had a link to the website so I could actually see how the program was going to work. USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) is still the place to go to sign up for most organic producers since you are probably there doing other business anyway.

USDA has established December 31, 2026, as the application deadline for both the 2025 and 2026 program years.

And there is an unusually useful opportunity here because producers can still claim qualifying expenses from two program years:

Program year	Certification expenses paid
2025	October 1, 2024 – September 30, 2025
2026	October 1, 2025 – September 30, 2026

Both have an application deadline of December 31, 2026.

Do not wait until December 31. OCCSP funds are limited and USDA says applications are paid on a first-come, first-served basis.

Here is the Link: Organic Certification Cost Share

Who Is Eligible

Eligible OCCSP applicants include any certified organic producers or handlers who have paid organic certification fees to a USDA-accredited certifying agent.  OCCSP pays a maximum of 75% of eligible certification costs, up to $750 per certification scope. The scopes must be listed on the producer or handler’s organic certificate to be eligible for OCCSP. 

What Costs are Reimbursable?

Eligible costs include application fees, inspection costs, fees related to equivalency agreement/arrangement requirements, travel/per diem for inspectors, user fees, sales assessments, and postage.

What Costs are Not Reimbursable?

Ineligible costs include equipment, materials, supplies, transitional certification fees, late fees, and inspections necessary to address National
Organic Program regulatory violations.