South Carolina farmers and food processors who want to pursue organic certification may qualify for reimbursement through a grant administered by the South Carolina Department of Agriculture.
“Organic certification can open up new market opportunities for South Carolina farmers and companies,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Hugh Weathers. “Our cost-share grant programs are a great use of public funds because they support agribusinesses that have ‘skin in the game’ by paying back a portion of their investment.”
The Organic Certification Cost Share Program will reimburse producers and handlers of agricultural products up to 50 percent of the operation’s total allowable certification costs, up to a maximum of $500 per certification scope: crops, livestock, wild crops, and handling (i.e., processing). The deadline to apply for reimbursement for the current fiscal year is December 10, 2021.
SCDA also has three other cost-share reimbursement programs available as projects of the USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, including one that offsets the cost of installing an affordable Cool Bot cold storage unit; and two that support businesses through the Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) audit process.
To apply for reimbursement programs through SCDA, visit agriculture.sc.gov/grants.