Organic certification costs to be reduced under new partnership in N.J.

A partnership between the New Jersey Department of Agriculture and the federal government will help to reduce organic certification costs and further promote New Jersey-grown and marketed organic food products, according to the Department of Agriculture.

The state’s Department of Agriculture says it will participate in the United States Department of Agriculture Organic Certification Cost Share Program.

Under the program, each qualified producer and handler of organic products will be eligible for a reimbursement of up to 75 percent of its costs of certification, not to exceed $750.

The Department of Agriculture says applications must be received no later than November 19, 2012.