[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 189 (Thursday, October 1, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50768-50769]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-23651]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Doc. No. AMS-TM-09-0056; TM-09-06]


Notice of 2009 National Organic Certification Cost-Share Program

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Services, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of funds availability. Inviting applications for the 
National Organic Certification Cost-Share Program.

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SUMMARY: This notice invites all States of the United States of 
America, its territories, the District of Columbia, and the 
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, (collectively hereinafter called States) 
to submit an Application for Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424), 
and to enter into a cooperative agreement with the Agricultural 
Marketing Service (AMS) for the allocation of National Organic 
Certification Cost-Share Funds. The AMS has allocated $22.0 million for 
this organic certification cost-share program commencing in Fiscal Year 
2008, and these funds will be annually allocated to States through 
cooperative agreements until exhausted. Funds are available under this 
program to States interested in providing cost-share assistance to 
organic producers and handlers certified under the National Organic 
Program (NOP). States interested in obtaining cost-share funds must 
submit an Application for Federal Assistance and enter into a 
cooperative agreement with AMS for allocation of funds.

DATES: Completed applications for Federal assistance along with signed 
cooperative agreements must be received by October 23, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Applications for federal assistance and cooperative 
agreements shall be submitted to: Robert Pooler, Agricultural Marketing 
Specialist, National Organic Program, USDA/AMS/TMP/NOP, Room 4004-
South, Ag Stop 0268, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 
20250-0268; Telephone: (202) 720-3252. Additional information can be 
found under ``Organic Cost Share Program'' on the National Organic 
Program's homepage at http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Pooler, Agricultural Marketing 
Specialist, National Organic Program, USDA/AMS/TM/NOP, Room 4004-South, 
Ag Stop 0268, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-0268; 
Telephone: (202) 720-3252.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This National Organic Certification Cost-
Share Program is authorized under 7 U.S.C. 6523, as amended by section 
10301 of the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 (Act). The Act 
authorizes the Department to provide certification cost-share 
assistance to producers and handlers of organic agricultural products 
in all States. The AMS has allocated $22 million for this program to be 
annually allocated through cooperative agreements to interested States. 
The Program provides financial assistance to organic producers and 
handlers certified to the NOP. The NOP is authorized under the Organic 
Foods Production Act of 1990, as amended (7 U.S.C. 6501 et seq.).
    To participate in the program, interested States, through their 
State Department of Agriculture, must complete an Application for 
Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424) and enter into a written 
cooperative agreement with AMS. State Department of Agriculture refers 
to agencies, commissions, or departments of State government 
responsible for implementing regulation, policy or programs on 
agriculture within their State. The program will provide cost-share 
assistance, through participating States, to organic producers and 
handlers receiving certification or

[[Page 50769]]

continuation of certification by a USDA accredited certifying agent 
commencing October 1, 2009, through September 30, 2010. Under the Act, 
cost-share assistance payments are limited to 75 percent of an 
individual producer's or handler's certification costs up to a maximum 
of $750.00 per year.
    To receive cost-share assistance, organic producers and handlers 
must submit an application to the representative Agency of the State in 
which their farm/operation is located. This application must include: 
(1) Proof of NOP certification issued or continued within the cost-
share qualifying period, October 1, 2009, through September 30, 2010, 
and; (2) an itemized invoice demonstrating costs incurred for NOP 
certification. Costs incurred for non-certification activities, such 
as, membership associations or farm/operation inputs are not eligible 
for assistance through this program.
    However, for producers in the states of Connecticut, Delaware, 
Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New 
Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, West 
Virginia, and Wyoming cost-share funding is available to these states, 
through their State Department of Agriculture, under the Agricultural 
Management Assistance (AMA) Organic Certification Cost-Share Program 
authorized under Section 1524 of the Federal Crop Insurance Act, as 
amended, (7 U.S.C. 1501-1524). As provided in a notice of Funds 
Availability published in the Federal Register completed applications 
for the AMA federal assistance program, along with signed cooperative 
agreements must be received by close of business, October 23, 2009. 
Information on the AMA program can be found under ``Organic Cost Share 
Program'' on the NOP's homepage at http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop.
    How To Submit Applications: To receive fund allocations to provide 
cost-share assistance, a State Department of Agriculture must complete 
an Application for Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424), and enter 
into a written cooperative agreement with AMS. State Agencies 
submitting hard copy applications should submit a signed copy of 
Standard Form 424 and a signed copy of the cooperative agreement the 
application package to AMS at the address listed above. The Standard 
Form 424 and the cooperative agreement must have the original signature 
of the official who has authority to apply for Federal assistance. Hard 
copy applications should be sent only via express mail or courier 
service and must be received at the above address by October 23, 2009.
    AMS encourages interested States to submit the Application for 
Federal Assistance, (Standard Form 424) electronically via Grants.gov, 
the Federal grants web site, http://www.grants.gov. Applications 
submitted electronically via Grants.gov must be filed by October 23, 
2009. A hardcopy of Standard Form 424 bearing an original signature is 
not required when applying through http://www.grants.gov. However, the 
cooperative agreement must have the original signature of the official 
who has authority to apply for Federal assistance. The signed 
cooperative agreement must be sent by express mail or courier service 
and received at the above address by October 23, 2009. States 
considering submitting electronic application forms should become 
familiar with the Grants.gov Web site and begin the application process 
well in advance of the application deadline. For information on how to 
apply electronically, please consult http://www.grants.gov/GetRegistered.
    The National Organic Certification Cost-share Program is listed in 
the ``Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance'' under number 10.163 and 
subject agencies must adhere to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 
1964, which bars discrimination in all federally assisted programs. 
Additional information on the National Organic Certification Cost-share 
Program can be found under ``Organic Cost Share Program'' on the NOP's 
homepage at http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop.

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 6523.

    Dated: September 25, 2009.
Rayne Pegg,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. E9-23651 Filed 9-30-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P