Executive Director's Report
September always feels like a season of transition: harvest is underway, the days are getting shorter, and another busy year in organic agriculture is coming into focus. At MOSA, we know this season brings long days, full schedules, and plenty of challenges, but it also offers a chance to see the results of a year’s hard work. In this issue, we’re sharing news, practical information, and stories from across our organic community. We hope you’ll find something that makes your work a little easier, sparks a new idea, or simply reminds you that you’re part of a community doing important work.
Organic Certification Cost Share Is Back
After a frustrating delay, USDA’s Organic Certification Cost Share Program is once again accepting applications. Certified organic producers and handlers may receive reimbursement for 75% of eligible certification expenses, up to $750 for each certification scope, for both the 2025 and 2026 program years.
Applications are due December 31, 2026, but funding is available on a first-come, first-served basis, so we encourage eligible operations to apply early. Applications may be submitted through your local USDA Farm Service Agency office or, where available, through a participating state agency. Eligible expenses include certification and administrative fees, inspection costs, certain international market access fees, user fees, sales assessments, and related postage.
Visit the USDA Organic Certification Cost Share Program webpage for application information and additional details.
Fall National Organic Standards Board Meeting
The National Organic Standards Board will hold its fall meeting virtually October 27–29, 2026. The Board will consider petitions to add or remove substances from the National List, review substances scheduled to sunset in 2028, and discuss recommendations on organic policies.
Public comment is an important part of the NOSB process and gives organic stakeholders an opportunity to help shape federal organic policy. Written comments and registration for oral testimony are due October 1. Public comment webinars will be held October 20 and 22.
We will share information about significant proposals as it becomes available. Meeting materials and participation details are available on the USDA Fall 2026 NOSB meeting page.
New Leadership at MOSA
We are pleased to announce that LP Eldredge and Jake Overgaard have moved into new roles as Certification Managers. Both previously served as Certification Specialists and bring strong technical knowledge, experience, and a deep understanding of MOSA’s clients and certification work to their new positions. We are excited to see them grow into their new roles and help us continue providing consistent, knowledgeable, and responsive certification services.
Celebrating the Work of Midwest TOPP
The Transition to Organic Partnership Program, or TOPP, is coming to an end one year earlier than originally planned. While we are disappointed that the program will not continue through its full term, we are proud of what Midwest TOPP and its partners accomplished in the time available.
TOPP was established in 2022 as part of USDA’s Organic Transition Initiative, which was supported with funding from the American Rescue Plan Act. It has had an extraordinary nationwide impact.
MOSA has been honored to serve as the Midwest Regional Lead, working with more than 20 partner organizations in an 11 state region to connect farmers with mentorship, technical assistance, education, and other resources for navigating the transition to organic production. The program brought together organizations from across the Midwest around a shared goal: making the path to organic certification more accessible and achievable.
Over the course of the program, preliminary numbers show that our Midwest TOPP partners hosted 744 events, established 274 mentorships, provided 1,479 farmers with technical assistance, and helped 143 new farms representing 13,596 acres transition to certified organic, with many more in the pipeline and still transitioning! This is just the data for Midwest TOPP; multiply it by the five other TOPP regions to see the profound impact on organic farming in the United States.
Although this chapter of TOPP is wrapping up, the relationships, knowledge, and resources created through the program will continue to support organic agriculture well into the future. We are grateful to our partners, mentors, participants, and staff for the energy and expertise they brought to this work, and we are proud of what we accomplished together.
As always, if you have questions or comments, please contact me at Cori@MosaOrganic.org or 844-637-2526.
Thank you for reading, and thanks for your continued commitment to organic integrity.