Hawaii Organic Farming Association

Creating a Sustainable Future for Hawaii

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Find Hawaii Organic Products & Producers

The Hawaii Organic Marketplace is the only resource that is organized by island. This helps everyone connect with producers of certified organic crops, livestock, and processed products across the Hawaiian Islands.

Organic Certification Cost Share Program NOTICE OF FUNDS AVAILABILITY

Deadline for getting your completed application for cost-share funding in to your FSA county office is October 31, 2020.

CHANGES for FY 2020-2023:
For Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 through 2023, FSA is revising the reimbursement amount to 50 percent of the certified organic operation’s eligible expenses, up to a maximum of $500 per scope. This change is due to the limited amount of funding available and will allow a larger number of certified organic operations to receive assistance. If additional funding is authorized at a later time, FSA may provide additional assistance to certified operations that have applied, not to exceed 75% of eligible costs, up to $750 per scope.

View the Organic Certification Cost Share Program Fact Sheet (August 10, 2020)
View the Organic Certification Cost Share Program Fact Sheet (August 10, 2020)

Formerly, eligible certified organic operations could receive reimbursement of 75% of eligible costs, up to a maximum payment of $750 per scope, which is the maximum allowed by law. In FY 2019 and prior years, funds were available to cover all applications; however, the amount of funding available will not cover expected participation levels in FY 2020.

Visit USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP) home page

Read the Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) published August 10, 2020 in the Federal Register Vol. 85, No. 154

HAWAII STATE ORGANIC FOODS PRODUCTION TAX CREDIT

To apply for the Organic Foods Production Tax Credit businesses must complete all parts of the Request for Certification of Organic Foods Production Costs form on company letterhead, and return the form to the Hawaii Department of Agriculture.

THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS MARCH 31 OF THE YEAR IN WHICH QUALIFIED EXPENSES WERE INCURRED BY THE TAXPAYER IN THE PREVIOUS TAXABLE YEAR. 

If the application is approved, HDOA will send a signed N-354 form to the applicant. This form must be attached to the taxpayer’s tax return when it is filed. Applications will be processed on a first come first served basis and will be time stamped upon receipt until the $2,000,000.00 cap is reached.

Organic Foods Production Tax Credit Information

What is HOFA?

hawaii organic farmer

The Hawaii Organic Farming Association is a non-profit organization that provides education about organic farming and sustainability in Hawaii. Our mission is to further organic and sustainable agriculture, land care, and lifestyles in Hawaii, thus giving meaning and life to our state motto: Ua mau ke ea o ka aina I ka pono “The Life of the Land is Perpetuated in Righteousness.”

Learn more about HOFA

Hawaii Organic Farming Association

Hawaii Organic Farming Association
Hawaii Organic Farming Association2 months ago
One week left to comment! There’s money out there for agriculture.
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The Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture (HDOA) is seeking public comments through Aug. 11, 2023, on funding priorities being developed for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program (RFSI).

Hawai‘i has been earmarked for $3.2 million in block grant funding; however, the program requires Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture to conduct outreach to stakeholders to determine the priorities for the state application.

The purpose of the program is to develop and administer state-coordinated initiatives to build the resilience of the state’s food supply chain for food crops. In partnership with the USDA, the Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture will administer competitive solicitation to award grants to support infrastructure in the middle of the supply chain for local food and farm businesses and other eligible entities.

Funds will support expanded capacity for the aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storing, transporting, wholesaling, and distribution of locally produced food products, including specialty crops, dairy, aquaculture, and other food products, excluding meat and poultry.

Examples of eligible project objectives include:
• Modernizing processing and manufacturing equipment
• Supporting the construction of a new facility
• Modernizing or expanding an existing facility
• Improving operations through training opportunities
• Modernizing manufacturing, tracking, storage, and information technology systems
• Improving the capacity to comply with federal, state, and local food safety requirements
• Enhancing worker safety through the adoption of new technologies or investment in equipment or facility improvements

For a full description of program objectives and eligible projects, visit the USDA RFSI program factsheet at: https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/RFSIFactSheet.pdf

At this phase in the process, Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture is collecting public comments about needs in the local agricultural and food sector to define funding priorities for the forthcoming grant program.

All interested parties may submit comments to hdoa.rfsi@hawaii.gov beginning July 26, 2023, through August 11, 2023, until 4:30 p.m. HST. The input received will be reviewed and utilized to determine Hawai‘i’s priorities and will be submitted to the USDA.

Program contact:
Phone – (808) 973-9595
email: hdoa.rfsi@hawaii.gov
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Hawaii Organic Farming Association
Hawaii Organic Farming Association2 months ago
When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted.
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Hawaii Organic Farming Association
Hawaii Organic Farming Association2 months ago
The purpose of OLPS is to codify and enforce a level playing field in organic livestock production standards (e.g., prohibit enclosed porches being allowed as “outdoor access“ for poultry). It was already delayed by big agribusiness interests during the trump admin, and now Congressman Keith Self (R-TX) wants to not only kill it forever but also prevent any future strengthening of the organic standards. Contact your reps, tell them to oppose the Self Amendment to the House Agriculture Appropriations bill. Call (202) 224-3121 for the U.S. House switchboard.

Hawaii Organic Farming Association
The Organic Trade Association (OTA) is urging Congress to oppose an amendment to the House Agriculture Appropriations bill that would effectively block the USDA from adopting regulations that update key organic animal welfare provisions.
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Effective August 1, 2011, HOFA no longer provides organic certification services.

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Hawaii Organic Farming Association (HOFA)
PO Box 999
Captain Cook, HI 96704
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