The USDA Farm Service Agency will cover up to 75 percent of expenses required for organic certification under the Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP).

This benefits small producers that sell organic products at farmers markets and supply gourmet restaurants.  The OCCSP support is another indication that aspects of organic production rely on direct and indirect funding. Organic certification does not provide consumers with quantifiable attributes or a higher standard of food safety despite the differential in price between organic and conventional foods.

The question arises as to why any specific group of producers differentiated by product category or volume of production should be provided with support at taxpayer expense. Organic foods should attract a selling price that covers fixed and variable costs and an acceptable margin to producers without federal support. The OCCSP appears to benefit the certifying agencies more than producers.