USDA Reminder for 2023 On-Farm Safety Aid

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reminds specialty crop growers that assistance is available for producers who incur eligible on-farm food safety program expenses to obtain or renew a food safety certification through the Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops (FSCSC) program. Producers can apply for assistance on their calendar year 2023 expenses through Jan. 31, 2024.

“The Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops program is just one of the many ways USDA is helping support local and regional food systems and opportunities for small-scale producers,” said Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. “I’m encouraging specialty crop growers to discover how this program can help mitigate the costs of on-farm food safety certification and meeting regulatory requirements and apply by the January deadline.”

Program Details

FSCSC assists specialty crop operations that incurred eligible on-farm food safety certification and related expenses pertaining to obtaining or renewing a food safety certification in calendar year 2023. FSCSC covers a percentage of the specialty crop operation’s cost of obtaining or renewing its certification, as well as a portion of related expenses.

To be eligible for FSCSC, the applicant must be a specialty crop operation; meet the definition of a small business or very small business; and have paid eligible expenses related to the 2023 certification.

Specialty crop operations may receive assistance for the following costs:

Developing a food safety plan for first-time food safety certification.

Maintaining or updating an existing food safety plan. Food safety certification.

Certification upload fees. Microbiological testing for products, soil amendments and water. Training.

Source: usda.gov

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