No, expenses associated with the cost of receiving a USDA GAP audit are not eligible expenses for the mini-grant. There are alternative funding sources that may assist with that type of expense, however. The MDA offers a Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and Good Handling Practices (GHP) Certification Cost-Share Program. The USDA’s Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops Program may also be an option.
Eligibility
Yes, previous awardees may apply again this year.
Yes, previous awardees may apply again this year.
Yes, previous awardees may apply again this year.
Selection Process
If you are eligible in more than one funding category, your application will be included in the randomized selection for each round that your application qualifies for.
Example: An applicant's farm was confirmed to be fully covered and subject to routine inspection under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule in 2024. The applicant has also attended a Produce Safety Rule Grower Training.
This application would be entered in the selection round for farms that were confirmed to be fully covered in 2024. If not selected/awarded, they would then be entered into next selection round they are eligible for (the training round, in this case). If not selected/awarded, they would then be entered into the 4th and final round. This round consists of all remaining eligible applicants that haven't been awarded in a previous round.
Depending on what funding categories an application qualifies under, an application could be included in at minimum 1 round but maximum 4 rounds.
Documentation
To be considered for funding under the training category you must submit documentation that indicates you or a member of your farm has:
- Attended a FSMA Produce Safety Rule Grower Training, or
- Attended a GAPs training hosted by the University of Minnesota Extension. The University of Minnesota Extension only issues certificates of attendance for GAPs trainings that are minimum half-day (3+ hours) in length. or,
- Attended a GAPs training hosted by Cornell University
To be considered for funding under the training category you must submit documentation that indicates you or a member of your farm has:
- Attended a FSMA Produce Safety Rule Grower Training, or
- Attended a GAPs training hosted by the University of Minnesota Extension. The University of Minnesota Extension only issues certificates of attendance for GAPs trainings that are minimum half-day (3+ hours) in length. or,
- Attended a GAPs training hosted by Cornell University
