Organic growers in limbo after USDA stalls program payments
American producers have been left waiting for their 2025 reimbursement from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) program that offsets organic certification costs.
The assistance covers up to 75 percent of annual certification expenses, with a maximum of $750 per scope. The benefit includes application and user fees, inspection costs, fees for equivalency agreements, sales assessments, and postage.
Although the Organic Certification Cost Share Program opens in the summer, the agency has not yet issued 2025 payments, despite Congressional authorization in the One Big Beautiful Bill, which passed in July.
Delays threaten small organic producers
While $750 may seem modest compared to overall costs, for many growers, the sum is significant.
In a statement addressing the delay, the California Certified Organic Farmers coalition noted that certification costs have increased sharply due to inflation and enhanced fraud-prevention measures. Today, costs can exceed $2,800.
Kate Mendenhall, Executive Director of the Organic Farmers Association, told news outlet Civil Eats the country may lose many organic growers, especially smaller operations, that could drop this type of production or delay certification for several years.
According to the site, the US Farm Service Agency staff, who administer the program, have stated that funding will be released soon.
However, they also clarified that the agency’s current priority is large payments, specifically those from the $13 million Farmer Bridge Assistance Program, primarily for commodity crop farmers.
The USDA has not yet announced when funds will be available for organic growers.
Further USDA changes are coming
Payment delays come at a time when the USDA faces challenging budgetary hurdles.
At the beginning of April, the White House proposed a 19 percent cut to USDA, totaling a $4.9 billion budget reduction. In its 2027 budget request, the Trump Administration argued that the agency's many extraneous programs do not support America First agricultural policy.
Investments, on the other hand, include $50 million for a reorganization plan that moves USDA employees out of Washington to regional hubs across the country.
Civil Eats reports that much of the feedback from USDA and other industry stakeholders is that the plan will lead to further staffing cuts.
*All images are referential.
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