Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops Program (FSCSC)

The FSCSC program provides financial assistance for specialty crop operations that incur eligible on-farm food safety program expenses related to obtaining or renewing a food safety certification in calendar years in 2022 or 2023. This program helps offset costs to comply with regulatory requirements and market-driven food safety certification requirements. 

FSCSC provides up to $200 million to specialty crop operations that incur eligible on-farm food safety program expenses related to obtaining or renewing a food safety certification in calendar years 2022 and/or 2023. For each year, FSCSC will cover a percentage of the specialty crop operation’s cost of obtaining or renewing their certification, as well as a percentage of their related expenses.

To be eligible for FSCSC, an applicant must:

• Have obtained or renewed a:

  • 2022 food safety certification that was issued between June 21, 2022 and December 31, 2022; or

  • 2023 food safety certification issued during the 2023 calendar year, and 

• Have paid eligible expenses. Expenses that have been incurred by the applicant, but have not yet been paid, will not be eligible.

• Be a specialty crop operation; and meet the definition of a small business or very small business.

  • A small business means an applicant that had an average annual monetary value of specialty crops the applicant sold during the 3-year period preceding the program year of more than $250,000 but not more than $500,000. 

  • A very small business means an applicant that had an average annual monetary value of specialty crops the applicant sold during the 3-year period preceding the program year of no more than $250,000.

• Be located in the 50 United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. 

Cost-share on food-safety certification expenses you have already paid, reimbursed at a set percentage per category with its own cap:

• Developing a food safety plan: "75 percent (no maximum)."

• Maintaining or updating an existing plan: "75 percent, up to a maximum of $675."

• Obtaining the certification itself: "75 percent, up to a maximum of $2,000."

• Uploading audit reports / certification documents to commercial audit databases: "75 percent, up to a maximum of $375."

• Microbiological testing of products, soil amendments and water: "75 percent, up to five tests, including postage" — five per category, not five total.

• Food safety training: "100 percent, up to a maximum of $500."

How it is paid and what limits it:

• Each category is calculated separately, and "This amount, plus any additional cost share assistance received, cannot exceed the total amount of the eligible expense." You must report any other cost-share you got for the same expenses.

• The expense must already be paid: "Expenses that have been incurred by the applicant, but have not yet been paid, will not be eligible."

• Split payment and possible haircut: "For program year 2025, the Farm Service Agency will issue 50% of the calculated payment following application approval, with the remaining amount to be paid after the application deadline. If calculated payments exceed the amount of available funding, payments will be prorated."

• Ineligible costs: "infrastructure improvements, equipment, supplies, salaries and benefits, and fees or penalties for late payment."

• Group certifications count: an operation certified under a group food safety management system "are eligible to apply for assistance for their share of eligible expenses paid by the group, in addition to any eligible expenses they incur individually."

No match is required and there is no overall per-operation ceiling — the caps are per category, and plan development has none.

Eligible specialty crop operations can apply for FSCSC by working directly with the Farm Service Agency office at their local USDA Service Center. Applications will be accepted via mail, fax, hand delivery, or electronic means.  

The following forms are needed to apply for FSCSC (Available below):

• FSA-888, Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops (FSCSC) Program Application: (available soon) This form includes a certification of the applicant’s status as a specialty crop operation and a small or very small business, and their eligible expenses. Complete the form according to the FSA-888 instructions.

• AD-2047, Customer Data Worksheet

• SF-3881, ACH Vendor/Miscellaneous Payment Enrollment Form

• CCC-860, Socially Disadvantaged, Limited Resource, Beginning and Veteran Farmer or Rancher Certification** **(if applicable)

• Supporting Documentation, if requested: Please note that applicants may be required to provide additional documentation to the Farm Service Agency, if necessary, to substantiate the expenses reported on the application. Examples of supporting documentation include paid invoices, purchase receipts, test results, food safety plans, and certifications, training documentation, and other records determined acceptable by FSA.

• Frequently Asked Questions about the Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops Program

• Notice of Funds Availability: Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops Program

• Fact Page