Guides, Educational Materials, and Links

Resources for Farmers, Ranchers, and Handlers

Organic Certification Made Simple a multi-part video series presented by the USDA National Organic Program (NOP)
Is Organic an Option for Me? Training Modules, Guides, Fact Sheets

Ready to Get Certified?

Guide for Organic Crop Producers (64 page .pdf, 9MB)
Guide for Organic Livestock Producers (112 page .pdf, 14MB)
Guide to Organic Certification (8 page .pdf, 1.2MB)
USDA’s Organic Portal (connect with programs, services, and educational materials to help your organic farm or business)

USDA Blog posts tagged “Organic 101”

Hawaii Organic Farming Association

Our Vision is to "Create a Sustainable Future for Hawaii"

Hawaii Organic Farming Association9 hours ago

What’s the difference?

https://www.facebook.com/232832860253635/posts/1445175909019318/?d=n

View on Facebook

Hawaii Organic Farming Association3 days ago

Higher Limits Now Available on USDA Farm Loans
Higher limits are now available for borrowers interested in USDA’s farm loans, which help agricultural producers purchase farms or cover operating expenses. The 2018 Farm Bill increased the amount that producers can borrow through direct and guaranteed loans available through USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) and made changes to other loans, such as microloans and emergency loans.

June 2020 Interest Rates
Farm Operating Loans 1.375%
Farm Operating Microloans 1.375%
Farm Ownership Loans 2.250%
Farm Ownership Microloans 2.250%
Farm Ownership Loans Direct Down Payment for Beginning Farmer or Rancher 1.500%
Emergency Loans 2.375%

Key changes include:

The Direct Operating Loan limit increased from $300,000 to $400,000, and the Guaranteed Operating Loan limit increased from $ 1.429 million to $1.75 million. Operating loans help producers pay for normal operating expenses, including machinery and equipment, seed, livestock feed, and more.
The Direct Farm Ownership Loan limit increased from $300,000 to $600,000, and the Guaranteed Farm Ownership Loan limit increased from $1.429 million to $1.75 million. Farm ownership loans help producers become owner-operators of family farms as well as improve and expand current operations.
Producers can now receive both a $50,000 Farm Ownership Microloan and a $50,000 Operating Microloan. Previously, microloans were limited to a combined $50,000. Microloans provide flexible access to credit for small, beginning, niche, and non-traditional farm operations.
Producers who previously received debt forgiveness as part of an approved FSA restructuring plan are now eligible to apply for emergency loans. Previously, these producers were ineligible.
Beginning and socially disadvantaged producers can now receive up to a 95 percent guarantee against the loss of principal and interest on a loan, up from 90 percent.
About Farm Loans

Direct farm loans, which include microloans and emergency loans, are financed and serviced by FSA, while guaranteed farm loans are financed and serviced by commercial lenders. For guaranteed loans, FSA provides a guarantee against possible financial loss of principal and interest.

For more information on FSA farm loans, visit www.fsa.usda.gov or contact your local USDA service center.

USDA-Farm Service Agency Home Page

Farm Service Agency Landing Page

fsa.usda.gov

View on Facebook

Hawaii Organic Farming Association5 days ago

From USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA)
Producers can now apply for USDA’s Coronavirus Food Assistance Program, which provides direct payments to farmers to offset impacts from the coronavirus pandemic. Applications will be accepted through August 28, 2020. An application form and a payment calculator are available online on farmers.gov/cfap.

CFAP is structured to ensure the availability of funding for all eligible producers who apply. In order to do this, you will receive 80 percent of your maximum total payment upon approval of your application. The remaining portion of the payment, not to exceed the payment limit, will be paid at a later date nationwide, as funds remain available. The program supports the following commodities:

Non-specialty commodities include malting barley, canola, corn, upland cotton, millet, oats, soybeans, sorghum, sunflowers, durum wheat, hard red spring wheat, and wool.

Livestock includes cattle, hogs, and sheep (lambs and yearlings only).

Specialty crops include:

Fruits: apples, avocados, blueberries, cantaloupe, grapefruit, kiwifruit, lemons, oranges, papaya, peaches, pears, raspberries, strawberries, tangerines, tomatoes, watermelons
Vegetables: artichokes, asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, sweet corn, cucumbers, eggplant, garlic, iceberg lettuce, romaine lettuce, dry onions, green onions, peppers, potatoes, rhubarb, spinach, squash, sweet potatoes, taro
Nuts: almonds, pecans, walnuts
Other: beans, mushrooms
Didn’t see a commodity you produce on the list of eligible commodities? USDA has established a process for producers to identify additional commodities for potential inclusion in CFAP. Specifically, USDA is looking for data on agricultural commodities, that are not currently eligible for CFAP, that producers believe to have either:

Suffered a five percent-or-greater price decline between mid-January and mid-April as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,
Shipped but subsequently spoiled due to loss of marketing channel, or
Not left the farm or remained unharvested as mature crops.
USDA may reconsider the excluded commodities if credible evidence is provided that supports a five percent price decline. USDA will consider additional commodities to be eligible for CFAP by collecting information on potentially eligible commodities. Producers of commodities not included on the original CFAP list who believe they’ve suffered a five percent-or-greater price decline between January and April 2020, and who face additional marketing costs due to COVID-19, may submit comments to provide information about additional commodities.

USDA is particularly interested in obtaining information with respect to the following specific categories of agricultural commodities:

Nursery Products
Aquaculture Products
Cut Flowers
More information about this process is also available on farmers.gov/cfap or in this fact sheet. Comments may be submitted through either of the following methods by June 22, 2020:

Federal Rulemaking Portal – Go to regulations.gov and search for Docket ID FSA-2020-0004. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
Mail – Director, SND, FSA, US Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Stop 0522, Washington, DC 20250-0522 Washington, DC 20250-0522.
We know producers are facing a tough time now, and we are making every effort to provide much needed support as quickly as possible. Producers of all eligible commodities can apply through your FSA County office. FSA is available over the phone and virtually to walk you through the application process, whether it’s the first time you’ve worked with us, or if you know us quite well. Offices in Hawaii and American Samoa were recently approved to meet with customers on a limited basis, by appointment; please call before visiting your local office

Coronavirus Food Assistance Program | Farmers.gov: Resources for Farmers and Producers

The Coronavirus Food Assistance Program will provide direct relief to producers who have suffered losses during the 2020 marketing year due to COVID-19.

farmers.gov

View on Facebook

Guides, Educational Materials, and Links

Follow Us on Social Media

Search HOFA