Organic Initiative Funding Available

NRCS News Release

Federal funding is available for organic farmers, and now is your chance to benefit from this program. Offered under the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), a division of the United Stated Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Organic Initiative provides a wide array of conservation practices specifically designed for organic production. Practices will help the selected applicants meet many requirements of their USDA Organic System Plans and stay in compliance with USDA’s National Organic Program.

“We are pleased to provide this federal funding to help organic growers in our farming community,” said Mr. Angel Figueroa, NRCS Director of the Pacific Islands Area (PIA). “If Organic funds are not spent on contracts in the PIA, it goes back to our national office.”

Nationwide, NRCS has nearly $50 million in financial and technical assistance available to certified organic producers, those who want to make the transition to organic production and producers who sell less than $5,000 in organic products annually.

The top five Organic Initiative conservation practices are cover crops, nutrient and pest management, seasonal high tunnels, crop rotation, and fencing. Our current organic transition applications amount to $3,957 and PIA has more than $58,000 available. Last fiscal year, NRCS obligated $39,410 in Certified Organic and $68,008 to transition to organic.

Applications for NRCS Organic Initiative are due March 30. Contact the Molokai NRCS office in Ho`olehua, at 567-6868, for more information and to find out if you qualify. Learn more about the Organic Initiative at go.usa.gov/Uo9 and find out about other NRCS initiatives and programs at go.usa.gov/UoX.