USDA Accepting Applications to Help Cover Costs of Organic Producers

DES MOINES, Iowa, May 17, 2023 –  The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will cover up to 75% of the costs associated with organic certification, up to $750 per category, through the Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP). Iowa Farm Service Agency (FSA) encourages organic agricultural producers and handlers to apply for OCCSP by Oct. 31, 2023, for expenses incurred from Oct. 1, 2022, through Sept. 30, 2023.

As part of USDA’s broader effort to support organic producers and in response to stakeholder feedback, this year FSA increased the cost share to the maximum amount allowed by statute.

“We’re taking steps to better support Iowa organic producers,” said Matt Russell, State Executive Director for FSA in Iowa. “We’ve heard about this program’s value in helping Iowa organic producers and handlers obtain or renew their certifications under the National Organic Program, and I’m pleased that we’re able to increase and restore the cost share to the statutory limit this year. Organic certification costs have long been identified as a barrier to certification, and this assistance, at its full levels, will help Iowa organic producers participate in new markets while supporting and growing our local and regional food systems.”

Cost Share for 2023

The cost share provides financial assistance for organic certification, and producers and handlers are eligible to receive 75% of the costs, up to $750, for crops, wild crops, livestock, processing/handling and state organic program fees (California only).

Iowa producers have until Oct. 31, 2023, to file applications, and FSA will make payments as applications are received.

How to Apply

To apply, Iowa producers and handlers should contact their local FSA office 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. Additional details can be found on the OCCSP webpage.

Opportunity for State Departments of Agriculture

FSA is also accepting applications from state departments of agriculture to administer OCCSP. FSA will post a synopsis of the funding opportunity on grants.gov and will electronically mail the notice of funding opportunity to all eligible state departments of agriculture.

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

Other USDA Organic Assistance

USDA offers other assistance for organic producers, including the new Organic Transition Initiative (OTI), which includes direct farmer assistance for organic production and processing, conservation and crop insurance.

For conservation, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is helping producers adopt the new organic management standard, which allows flexibility for producers to get the assistance and education they need such as attending workshops or requesting help from experts or mentors. It supports conservation practices required for organic certification and may provide foregone income reimbursement for dips in production during the transition period.

USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) reminds producers interested in the Transitional and Organic Grower Assistance Program, also part of OTI, to visit with their crop insurance agent for more information. Premium benefits for eligible policies will be automatically applied to the producer’s billing statement later this year.

For producers that participated in the Transitional and Organic Grower Assistance Program, also part of OTI, premium benefits for eligible policies will be automatically applied to the producer’s billing statement later this year.

USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) also administers federal crop insurance options, including Whole Farm Revenue Protection and Micro Farm, which may be good options for organic producers.

Also under OTI, is the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) National Organic Program’s (NOP) Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP). TOPP builds mentorship relationships between transitioning and existing organic farmers to provide technical assistance and wrap-around support in six U.S. regions.

On May 10 USDA AMS announced the availability of approximately $75 million in grant funding for the Organic Market Development Grant (OMDG) program. OMDG will fund businesses transitioning to organic or initiating new organic production or processing and support new, improved and expanded markets for domestically produced organic products with a focus on processing capacity, market access, and product development.

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.

Presidential candidate Perry Johnson will visit Mt Pleasant today May 18th at 5 PM

Event Date: 2023-05-18        Event Time: 5-6 Pm         Event Cost: Free

Location Name

Mt Pleasant High School commons area

Location Address

2104 S Grand Ave

Organizer Name

Judi Collora

Organizer Phone

3199311968

Organizer email

judicollora@hotmail.com

Goodwill of the Heartland coming to Mount Pleasant

Goodwill is coming to Mount Pleasant and opening its doors on July 28^th! When asked how this new store will positively impact the town, Brad Watkins, Marketing Director, responded – “First, we will bring jobs. We have a hiring event planned at the new store location on Tuesday, June 20^th from 3:00 – 7:00 pm and Saturday, June 24^th from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. We will conduct open-interview, so if you’re looking for an excellent job opportunity with good hours, good pay, and great benefits, you will want to put those dates on your calendar and plan to attend one of these events. We are looking to hire 15 – 17 full- and part-time employees.

Secondly, Goodwill’s mission is to help people reach their full potential through education, training, and the power of work. While we do hope to offer in person assistance with training programs in the future, right now, anyone in the Mt. Pleasant area can access our online training and vocational certification programs through our website: www.goodwillheartland.org. Our website has all the current information you need – not just for our job training programs, but also important information about our store hours and the things we will and won’t accept as donations.

Finally, we will partner with area human services agencies to offer vouchers for people in need who can use these vouchers to shop our stores for clothing items at no cost to them.

Buckle Up May 22 – June 4, and Every Day

Kansas City, MO — This Memorial Day weekend, and every day, law enforcement is urging drivers to buckle up during the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) national Click It or Ticket high-visibility enforcement effort. The national seat belt campaign, which coincides with the Memorial Day holiday, runs from May 22 to June 4, 2023.

“We want seat belt use to be an automatic habit for drivers and passengers alike,” said NHTSA Regional Administrator Susan DeCourcy. “It’s not just a safe thing to do — it’s the law. During the Click It or Ticket campaign, we’ll be working with our fellow law enforcement officers across local and state lines to ensure the message gets out to drivers and passengers. Buckling up is the simplest thing you can do to limit injury or save your life during a crash.”

According to NHTSA, in 2021, there were 11,813 unbuckled passenger-vehicle occupants killed in crashes in the United States. In that same year, 57% of passenger vehicle occupants killed at night (6 p.m. – 5:59 a.m.) were not wearing their seat belts. That’s why a major focus of the Click It or Ticket campaign is nighttime enforcement. Participating law enforcement agencies will be taking a no-excuses approach to seat belt law education and enforcement, writing citations day and night.

NHTSA data shows that seat belt use is higher among females than males. In fact, more than twice as many males were killed in crashes as compared to females in 2020. Of the males killed in crashes during that same year, more than half (55%) were unrestrained. For females killed in crashes, 43% were not buckled up.

“No matter the type of vehicle you’re driving in or the type of road you’re driving on, the best way to stay safe in case of a vehicle crash is to wear your seat belt,” DeCourcy continued. “Unfortunately, many families are suffering because their loved ones refused to follow this simple step. In Region 7 alone, which includes Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska, in 2021, we lost 927 community members because they did not buckle their seat belts. If you know a friend or a family member who does not buckle up when they’re in a vehicle, please ask them to form this life-saving habit. Help us spread this important message before one more friend or family member is killed as a result of not buckling up.”

For more information on the Click It or Ticket mobilization, please visit www.nhtsa.gov/ciot.