Organic and Transitional Education and Certification Program – Farmers.gov

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Are you a producer or handler of agricultural commodities that are certified organic? Or, are you transitioning your operation to certified organic? You may be eligible for financial assistance to cover expenses paid during fiscal year 2022 through USDA’s Organic and Transitional Education and Certification Program (OTECP). This program is part of USDA’s Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative.
The signup period for USDA’s Organic and Transitional Education and Certification Program (OTECP) is May 16, 2022 to October 31, 2022. 
During the COVID-19 pandemic, certified organic and transitional operations faced loss of markets, increased costs, labor shortages, and expenses related to obtaining or renewing their organic certification. Transitional operations also faced the financial challenge of implementing practices required to obtain organic certification without the premium prices associated with certified organic commodities.
Please click below to learn more about specific eligible expenses and payments for your operation type. 

Under OTECP, certified organic operations may receive assistance for the following expenses for obtaining or renewing their USDA organic certification.
For each eligible program year, OTECP will cover eligible payments made for each of the following for certified organic operations:  
 Expected OTECP payments for each eligible fiscal year will equal the sum of the applicant’s eligible expenses for each category above multiplied by the corresponding percentage, not to exceed the category’s maximum payment amount. 

For crop and livestock transitional operations, eligible expenses for OTECP include:
For each eligible fiscal year, OTECP will cover eligible payments made for each of the following for operations transitioning to organic:
 Expected OTECP payments for each eligible fiscal year will equal the sum of the applicant’s eligible expenses for each category above multiplied by the corresponding percentage, not to exceed the category’s maximum payment amount.  
All OTECP applicants must report any previous cost share assistance received for the expenses included on their application, excluding payments through USDA’s Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP). The following payment limitations are in place: 
 FSA will issue payments after the end of the application period for each fiscal year. OTECP payments will be prorated if calculated payments exceed the amount of available funding. 
Eligibility requirements for OTECP applicants are outlined below. We recommend you review these requirements before initiating your OTECP application.
 To be eligible for OTECP, an applicant must:
 Please note, eligible expenses for OTECP are available by clicking the boxes above. Operations that incurred eligible expenses prior to organic certification but became certified prior to the end of the fiscal year may not receive cost share for the same expense as both a certified and a transitional operation. 
 Visit farmers.gov/otecp/faq for a list of expenses that are considered ineligible for this program.  The FSA notice for OTECP is also available 2022 Organic and Transitional Education and Certification Program (OTECP) Signup.
The application period for program year 2022 is May 16, 2022 to October 31, 2022.
Eligible agricultural producers and handlers can apply for OTECP by working directly with the FSA office at their local USDA Service Center. Applications will be accepted via mail, fax, hand delivery, or electronic means. 
Alternatively, producers with an eAuthentication account could have applied for OTECP via our OTECP Application Portal. Applications were completed, electronically signed, and submitted directly to your local USDA Service Center through this online system. Please reference our OTECP Application Portal User Guide for additional information, including step-by-step application instructions. Producers interested in creating an eAuthentication account should visit farmers.gov/sign-in to learn more. 
The following forms are needed to apply for OTECP:
Please note that applicants may be required to provide additional documentation to FSA, if necessary, to verify eligibility or issue payment.
You are encouraged to contact the FSA office at your local USDA Service Center with any questions about OTECP, program eligibility, or the application process. You may also call 877-508-8364 to speak directly with a USDA employee ready to provide one-on-one assistance. 
We are committed to delivering USDA services to America’s farmers and ranchers while taking safety measures in response to the pandemic. Some USDA offices are beginning to reopen to limited visitors by appointment only. Service Center staff also continue to work with agricultural producers via phone, email, and other digital tools. Learn more at farmers.gov/coronavirus.
USDA Service Centers are locations where you can connect with Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, or Rural Development employees for your business needs. Enter your state and county below to find your local service center and agency offices. If this locator does not work in your browser, please visit offices.usda.gov.

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