Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops Program

Objective

FSCSC provides direct financial assistance to eligible specialty crop operations that incurred expenses related to food safety certification in calendar years 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025.

Who Can Apply

• Federally Recognized Indian/Native American/Alaska Native Tribal Government
• School District
• Tribal
• Nonprofit Organization
• Farmworker
• Small Business Person
• Land/Property Owner
• Veteran (including dependents)

For 2022 and 2023, applicants must qualify as a small or very small business to be eligible. “Small business” means a farm that had an average annual monetary value of specialty crops sold during the 3-year period preceding the program year of more than $250,000 but not more than $500,000. “Very small business” means a farm that had an average annual monetary value of specialty crops sold during the 3-year period preceding the program year of no more than $250,000. For 2024 and 2025, applicants must qualify as a small or medium size business to be eligible. “Small business” means a farm that had an average annual monetary value of specialty crops sold during the 3-year period preceding the program year of not more than $500,000. “Medium size business” means a farm that had an average annual monetary value of specialty crops sold during the 3-year period preceding the program year of $500,001 but no more than $1,000,000. An applicant must also be a citizen of the United States; resident alien; partnership of citizens of the United States; corporation, limited liability company, or other organizational structure organized under State law; Indian Tribe or Tribal organization. Specialty crop operations must be located in the United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands to participate.

Assistance Types

• Direct Payment with Unrestricted Use

Program Contact

jamie.garriott@usda.gov
202-253-9843