Free Help for Farms: Where to Start
Updated: Oct 6
Getting certified can feel like a lot. You do not have to figure it out alone, and you do not have to spend money to get started. Here is what a farm or food business can use for free before paying anyone.
Key takeaways
The rules, the forms, and the training are all free from USDA and the certifiers.
Kona Organic's readiness quiz, scorecard, pathway guides, and record templates are free.
USDA cost share returns up to 75 percent of certification fees each year, up to $750 per scope.
Grants pay for upgrades, but they want a plan and a deadline, so start early.
The free 15 minute call is the fastest way to find out what applies to you.
Start with the free tools
Take the readiness quiz. Ten questions, two minutes, and a score that shows what to fix first. It is at konaorganic.com/organic-readiness-quiz.
Download the free guides. The Organic Audit Readiness Scorecard, the 1 Year Plan for land that already qualifies, and the 3 Year Transition Plan for farms coming off conventional inputs. All in the Free Organic Certification Resources post.
Read the FAQ. Plain answers on the 36 month rule, the $5,000 exemption, costs, certifiers, and inspections.
Read the rules at the source. The USDA National Organic Program publishes the regulations, the allowed materials list, and a free online learning center.
Money that comes back to you
The USDA Organic Certification Cost Share Program pays back up to 75 percent of what you spent on certification in a year, up to $750 for each scope, such as crops or handling. Apply through your local Farm Service Agency office after you pay the certifier, and keep every receipt. Most farms leave this money on the table.
Grants that help you grow
Conservation programs through NRCS fund practices like cover crops, nutrient management, and high tunnels. Value added and market grants fund processing, packing, and sales projects. State and local programs fund small farm infrastructure and food safety upgrades. Every one of them wants a written plan and has a fixed deadline. Kona Organic finds the right programs and writes the applications.
When free is not enough
Free tools get a farm organized. They do not write the Organic System Plan, build the records, or walk the farm before the inspection. That is where Kona Organic comes in: plans written for you, records set up, a practice inspection, and the certification managed every year.
Kona Organic is a national organic certification consulting firm, headquartered in Hawaiʻi. The team works with farms, handlers, and food brands in all 50 states and US territories, on site or remotely, and with exporters overseas.
Common questions
Is there free help for organic certification?
Yes. USDA cost share, the free USDA learning center, the certifiers' own templates, and Kona Organic's free quiz, guides, and FAQ. Some state and nonprofit programs also offer technical help; what is open changes each year.
What should I do first?
Take the readiness quiz, then book the free call. Bring your field map and last year's input receipts.
Related guides: Free Organic Certification Resources • How Farms Can Pay for Organic Certification: FSA, NRCS, and Cost Share Programs • How do I get my farm certified organic in Hawaiʻi?
Last updated: October 2026.
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