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USDA Organic logoKentucky EQIP Organic Initiative 2009

Updated 05/19/2009

General Information

Kentucky NRCS has identified $867,000 in EQIP financial assistance to assist growers and producers who are certified organic or transitioning to organic certification. A sign-up period has been announced nationally and will run from May 11 through May 29, 2009.

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Key Terms and Definitions:

AMS:  Agricultural Marketing Service.

NOP:  (a) The National Organic Program authorized by the Act for the purpose of implementing its provisions. 7 CFR Part 205

         (b) 2008 Statute, Section 1240A: “The term ‘national organic program’ means the national organic program established under the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 6501 et. seq.)”.

OSP: (a) “A plan of management of an organic production or handling operation that has been agreed to by the producer or handler and the certifying agent and that includes written plans concerning all aspects of agricultural production or handling described in the Act and the regulations in subpart C of this part.” 7CFR Part 205”.

        (b) 2008 Statute, Section 1240A: “The term ‘organic system plan’ means an organic plan approved under the national organic program.

Organic production: A production system that is managed in accordance with the Act and regulations in this part to respond to site-specific conditions by integrating cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity.

Talking Points:

Information about the AMS, NOP and OSP requirements can be found at:  www.ams.usda.gov/NOP/. 

AMS Fact Sheet: http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELDEV3004346&acct=nopgeninfo

 

Organic Plan Certification:

AMS administers two cost-share assistance programs:  The National Organic Certification Cost-Share Assistance Program is available to producers and handlers in all 50 States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and U.S. territories.  The Agricultural Management Assistance Cost-Share Program is available to producers in 16 States (Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming).  Participants in either program may be reimbursed for up to 75% of the costs incurred in obtaining or continuing organic certification, not to exceed $750 annually.  These funds may only be used to reimburse producers for fees charged by accredited certifying agents for maintaining or continuing certification.  The 2008 Farm Bill statute prohibits the use of EQIP program support to pay for any part of the costs associated with NOP certification nor is NRCS allowed to participate in any activity associated with the NOP certification process.  AMS does not provide cost-share or financial assistance to assist producers for plan development or implementation of practices associated with the plan which can be supported through EQIP.  NRCS may provide assistance through conservation planning and program support to help producers meet the requirements of the NOP. 

AMS Organic Plan Standards:

The National Organic Program regulations require certified organic producers to complete and adhere to an organic system plan (OSP) that has been approved by a certifying agent.  The organic system plan serves as the basis for determining whether the operation is in compliance with the NOP.  The preamble to the NOP regulations describes in detail, 6 components to be included in an OSP.  The components that must be addressed in the OSP include:

  1. Practices and procedures
  2. Identification and characterization of each input substance
  3. Identification of monitoring techniques to verify implementation of the OSP
  4. Explanation of the recordkeeping system
  5. Management practices and physical barriers to prevent commingling of organic and nonorganic products
  6. Additional information deemed necessary by the certifying agent.

Certified organic producers and those in transition to organic production may receive technical assistance and compete for financial assistance to implement practices that are consistent with NOP regulations, address priority resource concerns and meet FOTG requirements.  Certified organic producers may compete for EQIP financial assistance to continue and/or expand the conservation practices in the OSP.  Producers in transition to certified organic production may also compete for financial assistance to begin or continue the implementation of conservation practices that are consistent with NOP practice standards.  Note, AMS does not provide oversight nor is involvement of a certifying agent required for producers who are transitioning to organic. 

AMS encourages producers to work with agencies like NRCS and certifying agents to help with planning and implementation of practices which support efforts to transition to organic and to help meet NOP certification requirements.  Some certifying organizations and agents have also developed widely accepted OSP plan “templates” which assist producers identify practices needed to be installed to meet NOP requirements.  NRCS developed conservation plans may be used by producers to help support their efforts to become certified, but may not be used as a “replacement” for a plan to address legal requirements of the NOP. 

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