The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is urging specialty crop producers to apply for federal assistance to help cover food safety certification costs in 2025, with the program now open to a larger pool of growers.
The Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops (FSCSC) program officially opened its 2025 application period on January 1, 2025, and will accept applications through January 31, 2026. Designed to offset the expenses of obtaining or renewing on-farm food safety certifications, the program was originally limited to small businesses. This year, it has been expanded to include medium-sized operations as well.
“Specialty crop producers can apply for assistance for expenses related to obtaining or renewing a food safety certification,” USDA officials stated in the program announcement.
Expanded Eligibility
To qualify, applicants must be specialty crop operations that meet the federal definition of small or medium-sized businesses.
A small business is defined as having an average annual monetary value of specialty crops sold over the past three years of no more than $500,000. A medium-sized business falls between $500,001 and $1 million in average annual sales over that same period.
By broadening eligibility, USDA aims to ensure that mid-sized farms—often too large to qualify for smaller-farm programs but lacking the scale of industrial operations—can also access funding support.
Covered Costs
The FSCSC program covers a percentage of key expenses tied to food safety certification. Eligible categories include:
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Developing a food safety plan for first-time certification.
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Updating or maintaining existing food safety plans.
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Food safety certification itself.
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Certification upload fees.
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Microbiological testing for products, soil amendments, and water.
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Training related to food safety practices.
Payments are calculated separately for each cost category, with specific rates and limitations published on USDA’s website at farmers.gov/food-safety.
Payment Structure
For program year 2025, approved applicants will receive 50% of their calculated payment up front, with the balance distributed after the January 2026 application deadline. Should total applications exceed available funding, USDA will prorate payments across eligible participants.
This two-stage payment structure is designed to provide immediate financial relief for growers while maintaining accountability at the end of the cycle.
How to Apply
Specialty crop producers can apply by completing form FSA-888-1, which covers both program years 2024 and 2025. Additional documentation may include the AD-2047 Customer Data Worksheet and SF-3881 ACH Vendor/Miscellaneous Payment Enrollment Form, unless those forms are already on file with the Farm Service Agency (FSA).
Applications can be submitted in multiple ways—by mail, fax, hand delivery, or electronically—to any USDA Service Center nationwide. Producers with an eAuthentication account can also apply online. USDA encourages growers who do not yet have an account to visit farmers.gov/sign-in to get started.
Supporting Food Safety and Market Access
Food safety certification is a key requirement for many specialty crop growers, particularly those seeking to sell to larger retailers, distributors, or institutions that demand third-party verification of on-farm practices. The cost of certification, however, has been a barrier for smaller operations.
By offering cost-sharing, USDA hopes to ease the financial burden and help producers remain competitive in increasingly safety-conscious markets.
“FSCSC covers a percentage of the specialty crop operation’s cost of obtaining or renewing its on-farm food safety certification, as well as a portion of related expenses,” the agency noted.
Looking Ahead
The inclusion of medium-sized farms in 2025 underscores USDA’s recognition of the challenges faced by a broader segment of the agricultural sector. As regulatory and market standards for food safety continue to evolve, the FSCSC program aims to provide both economic relief and an incentive for wider adoption of certified practices.
Specialty crop growers interested in participating are encouraged to review eligibility requirements, prepare documentation early, and submit applications well before the January 2026 deadline.
Full program details, including payment rates, limitations, and application materials, are available online at farmers.gov/food-safety.
