WASHINGTON, DC - Members of the specialty crop industry are rejoicing this week as a certification program is being expanded. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is expanding the Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops (FSCSC) program to now include medium-sized businesses in addition to small businesses. The program has been expanded to include assistance for 2024 and 2025 expenses.

“The Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops program helps producers cover costs of on-farm food safety certification in order to meet regulatory requirements and access additional markets,” said Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. “We recognize the value in supporting specialty crop producers incurring these expenses, so we’re not only continuing the program but also improving access by expanding program reach to include medium-sized operations.”

FSCSC assists specialty crop operations that incur eligible on-farm food safety certification and expenses related to obtaining or renewing a food safety, a press release stated. 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.

Eligible FSCSC applicants must be a specialty crop operation, meet the definition of a small- or medium-sized business, and have paid eligible expenses related to certification:

• A small business has an average annual monetary value of specialty crops sold by the applicant during the three-year period preceding the program year of no more than $500,000
• A medium-sized business has an average annual monetary value of specialty crops the applicant sold during the three-year period preceding the program year of at least $500,001 but no more than $1,000,000

Specialty crop operations can receive the following cost assistance:

• 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

FSCSC payments are calculated separately for each eligible cost category. Details about payment rates and limitations are available here. Interested applicants have until January 31, 2025, to apply for assistance for 2024 eligible expenses.

ANUK will continue to report as we learn more about the program.