The Spring 2025 issue of The Organic Sprout is here – MOFGA’s biannual newsletter for certified organic producers. Contents include an update on the federal organic cost share program, a rare apple discovery, updates on the latest NOSB meeting, and must more. Remember – back issues of the Sprout can also be accessed from the…
May 1, 2025 Organic Cost Share Status as of May 2025 As you all may be aware, the national Farm Bill of 2018 expired in the fall of 2023. While Congress has previously funded the National Organic Certification Cost Share Program (NOCCSP) through stopgap funding bills since the Farm Bill’s expiration, they failed to include…
The Fall 2024 issue of The Organic Sprout is here – MOFGA’s biannual newsletter for certified organic producers. Contents include the farm bill update, public policy and NOSB updates, TOPP update and much more. Remember, back issues of the Sprout are always available on the MCS website.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 25, 2023 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today previewed the Organic Livestock and Poultry Standards (OLPS) final rule. This new rule establishes clear, strong and consistent standards for organic livestock and poultry production, levels the playing field for organic livestock farmers, ranchers and businesses and promotes fairer, more competitive markets for their products, while…
The Risk Management Agency (RMA) is beefing up crop insurance options for specialty crop and organic producers, including rolling out new and expanded options based on feedback from America’s agricultural producers. RMA achieved this by accelerating outreach efforts and hearing directly from producers across the country by hosting in-person and virtual roadshows and making investments…
We would like to formally invite you to a Farm Bill listening session on Monday, July 31, 2023 at 2pm at Freeport High School which is located at 20 Holbrook Street in Freeport, Maine. Congresswoman Pingree, Chairman Thompson and other members of the House Agriculture Committee will have the opportunity to hear from Mainers about the issues…
Soil is Key to Organic Production MOFGA Certification Services, LLC has joined forces with five other leading organic certification organizations to release an official statement emphasizing the fundamental importance of soil-based farming for USDA Organic operations. MOFGA Certification Services, LLC has collaborated with OneCert, Inc., OneCert International Pvt. Ltd., Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association…
USDA Offers Assistance to Help Organic Dairy Producers Cover Increased Costs On May 19, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced assistance for dairy producers with the new Organic Dairy Marketing Assistance Program (ODMAP). ODMAP is established to help mitigate market volatility, higher input and transportation costs, and unstable feed supply and prices that have…
Organic Market Development Grants OMDG Application Deadline Extended & Webinar The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has extended the deadline for the Organic Market Development Grants (OMDG) Request for Applications (RFA) to August 8, 2023. Through OMDG, USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will issue up to $75 million in competitive grants. Eligible entities include businesses…
The Spring 2023 issue of The Organic Sprout is here – MOFGA’s biannual newsletter for certified organic producers. Contents include the strengthening organic enforcement (SOE) final rule, composting for organic production, record keeping, transition to organic partnership program (TOPP) and much more. Remember, back issues of the Sprout are always available on the MCS website.
MOFGA and MOFGA Certification Services (MCS) are pleased to announce that we have been chosen as a core partner and the state lead for Maine through USDA’s Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP). TOPP is one of three focus areas by USDA to transition more agriculture to organic (generally known as the Organic Transition Initiative),…
As many of you know, MCS works with the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry (DACF) to administer the USDA organic cost share rebate for certified producers located in Maine. This long established relationship has been a benefit to producers because MCS provides your certification fee information, and DACF requests the funds from USDA.…