Agriculture program helps cover organic certification costs for farmers
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is helping farms and food handling operations get their organic certification. The USDA’s Farm Service Agency is now accepting applications to cover up to 75% of organic certification costs through the Organic Certification Cost Share Program.
Eligible certification-related costs include:
- Application fees
- Inspection costs
- Equivalency agreement and arrangement related fees
- Inspector travel expenses
- User fees
- Sales assessments and postage
Dave’s Killer Bread Brand Debuts New Organic Protein Bars
Wonder Bread has its charm, but if you prefer your loaves a little denser and loaded with whole grains and seeds, chances are you’re familiar with the name Dave’s Killer Bread. The brand’s well-known 21 Whole Grains and Seeds bread is packed 5 grams of protein, and even makes breakfast bagels with 13 grams of protein. Now, Dave’s Killer Bread is upping its protein game even more, and further expanding its repertoire in the snacking aisle. In a press release via Baking Business, Dave’s announced that it’s dropping a new non-bread product: protein bars.
https://ca.style.yahoo.com/daves-killer-bread-brand-debuts-174212781.html
USDA grant could help close organic ‘knowledge gap,’ to drive industry sales, reduce need for redundant certifications
Organic is one of the most trusted and recognized claims and certifications in the grocery aisle, and yet most consumers do not fully understand what it represents – a knowledge gap that the Organic Trade Association (OTA) and The Organic Center are trying to close with help from a $2.2m grant from the US Department of Agriculture announced last week.
New Resource Toolkit Increases Consumer Understanding of the USDA Organic Label
Organic is a growing sector, with domestic sales of organic products topping $69.7 billion in 2023. However, consumer research shows that consumers do not always understand what “organic” means and how USDA protects the organic label.
Now retailers and brands can download a toolkit of signs and messages about the requirements for different types of organic products that can be used in stores or online to help consumers learn more about the USDA Organic seal. The National Organic Program (NOP) created the resource to highlight the four pillars of what it means to be organic.
USDA Forms New Partnerships to Support Organic Transition, Conservation Assistance
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is partnering with Oregon Tilth and Organic Farming Research Foundation to strengthen organic expertise for conservation programs and expand relationships among producers wanting to transition to organic. USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is investing $5 million in these five-year partnerships, which are part of USDA’s Organic Transition Initiative (OTI), a Department-wide effort to support agricultural producers interested in transitioning to organic. Additionally, NRCS encourages organic and transitioning producers to apply for assistance through its conservation programs that currently have boosted funding from the OTI as well as the Inflation Reduction Act.
