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AnnouncementSeptember 5, 2014

 

The Agricultural Marketing Service is pleased to share new resources for the Organic Cost Share Programs. We also wish to alert you to a fraudulent organic certificate.

New Cost Share Resources 


The National Organic Program (NOP) is pleased to announce the availability of a revised Frequently Asked Questions document and a new fact sheet to support the Organic Certification Cost Share Programs. Additionally, a USDA blog on the programs will post on Monday morning, September 8. Organic cost share programs reimburse individual organic operators up to 75 percent of their certification costs up to a maximum of $750 per category of certification. These materials will help organic producers and handlers learn more about the programs and how to participate.

 

Organic Cost Share Programs - Frequently Asked Questions

Organic Cost Share Fact Sheet

If you have questions, contact the USDA Organic Cost Share staff at CostShare@ams.usda.gov.

 

Alert: Fraudulent Organic Certificates 


Fraudulent organic certificates listing the following businesses are in use and have recently been reported to the NOP:

 

Rollomatieasie Co, Ltd. 

 

These certificates falsely represent agricultural products as certified organic under the USDA organic regulations, violating the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990.

 

Fraudulent certificates may have been created and used without the knowledge of the operator or the certifying agent named in the certificate. The posting of fraudulent certificates does not necessarily mean that the named operator or certifying agent was involved in illegal activity. If an operation named on a fraudulent certificate is certified, its certifying agent, identified in the list of certified operations, can provide additional information and verifications to the organic trade.

 

Organic handlers should continue to review certificates carefully, validate with their certifying agents where needed, and send any suspicious certificates to the NOP Compliance and Enforcement Division.

 

Any use of this certificate or other fraudulent documents to market, label, or sell non-organic products as organic can result in a civil penalty of up to $11,000 per violation.

 

Persons with information regarding the production or use of this or other fraudulent NOP certificates are asked to send information to the NOP Compliance and Enforcement Division.

About the Agricultural Marketing Service

USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) facilitates the competitive and efficient marketing of agricultural products. Through its National Organic Program, AMS facilitates trade and ensures the integrity of organic agricultural products by consistently implementing organic standards and enforcing compliance with the regulations throughout the world. Learn more.

About the USDA Organic Insider

The USDA Organic Insider informs the organic community on a wide range of functions, including regulatory updates, requests for public comments, and USDA programs and services.

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