Reminder: Organic Cost Share Reimbursement Deadline October 1, 2012
The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) is reminding eligible Michigan organic handlers and producers to get their applications in for organic cost share assistance by October 1, 2012. Reimbursements will be made on a first-come, first-serve basis until the funds are exhausted or the application postmark deadline of October 1st is reached, whichever comes first. All certification related expenses; including inspection fees, user fees, and certifier-required testing paid from October 1, 2011 – September 30, 2012 can be reimbursed through this application, as well as October 1, 2010 – September 30, 2011 for those that missed out on last year’s assistance.
To qualify, an organic operation must have been inspected and certified by a National Organic Program (NOP) accredited certifying agent during this specified time periods. The program provides for a 75 percent cost share of certification costs with a maximum payment of $750 per farm or operation. If an operation is certified in more than one certification category; such as crops, livestock, and handler; they are eligible for reimbursement up to $750 for each category.
An application and instructions can be downloaded at
MDARD organic Redirect. For questions or additional information, contact Jeanette Towsley at (517) 241-2978 or via email at
towsleyj@michigan.gov
