News & Research
Stay up-to-date on the latest from OCIA International, our operators, and the organic industry.News: Updates from the Organic Industry
We’ve compiled the latest news from the organic industry to help you stay up-to-date on industry innovations and regulatory updates.
R&E Scholarship Application Deadline – Jan 15th
All graduate students studying organic and sustainable agriculture are encouraged to apply for the OCIA Research & Education Scholarship by January 15th. A $1,000 scholarship will be awarded to help fund organic farming research projects. For more information,...
USDA to Host Webinar for the LFPA Program – Dec 16th
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will hold an informational webinar for organizations interested in learning more about the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA) on Thursday, Dec. 16, 2021,...
USDA to Host Webinar for the OTECP Program – Dec 15th
The Unites States Department of Agriculture, Farm Service Agency and Extension (University of Wisconsin-Madison) is holding a free webinar on December 15, 2021 from 1:00-2:00 pm (CST) on the new Pandemic Assistance program for Certified and Transitioning Organic...
USDA Builds Pandemic Support for Certified Organic and Transitioning Operations
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that it will provide pandemic assistance to cover certification and education expenses to agricultural producers who are certified organic or transitioning to organic. USDA will make $20 million available through the...
Farm to Food Bank Funding in 2022
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) announced the award of more than $7.5 million in Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Farm to Food Bank Project funding to 29 states and territories that administer The...
New Full-Length Course on Organic Seed Search
The National Organic Program (NOP) has just announced a new course in the Organic Integrity Learning Center. Sourcing organic seed and planting stock is a key requirement of organic certification. This course provides best practices for addressing some of the most...
USDA Introduces New Insurance Policy for Farmers Who Sell Locally
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is rolling out a new insurance option specifically for agricultural producers with small farms who sell locally. The new Micro Farm policy simplifies record keeping and covers post-production costs like washing and value-added...
Insurance for Specialty Crops and Organic Producers
Organic and aquaculture producers can soon benefit from updates to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Whole-Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP) plan. USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) is revising the plan of insurance to make it more flexible and...
USDA Accepting Applications to Help Cover Costs for Organic Certification
Organic producers and handlers can now apply for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) funds to assist with the cost of receiving or maintaining organic certification. Applications for the Organic Certification Cost Share...