USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is offering the Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops Program (FSCSC) again this year. The FSCSC program provides financial assistance for specialty crop operations that have eligible on-farm food safety program expenses related to obtaining or renewing a food safety certification.
Producers can apply for assistance on their calendar year 2024 expenses beginning July 1, 2024, through Jan. 31, 2025. For program year 2025, the application period will be Jan. 1, 2025, through Jan. 31, 2026.
How the Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops Program Works
The FSCSC program provides financial assistance for specialty crop operations that incur eligible on-farm food safety program expenses related to obtaining or renewing a food safety certification. This program helps offset costs to comply with regulatory requirements and market-driven food safety certification requirements.
FSCSC provides funds to specialty crop operations that incur eligible on-farm food safety program expenses related to obtaining or renewing a food safety certification. FSCSC will cover a percentage of the specialty crop operation’s cost of obtaining or renewing their certification, as well as a percentage of their related expenses.