Organic Market Development Grant (OMDG) Program
Active
- Assistance listing
- 10.188
- Agency
-
Agricultural Marketing Service
Department of Agriculture
- Grant awards
- 107 $85,191,373 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Also known as
- Organic Market Development Grant Program
- Assistance type
-
- Project Grant
- Treasury account
-
- 12-2500-1-2-352
- More information
Program details come from SAM.gov Assistance Listings. Updated . Grant award figures come from USAspending.gov.
About this program
The Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service issued 107 Project Grants totaling $85.2 million in federal dollars under the Organic Market Development Grant program (CFDA 10.188) with the most recent award dated May 31, 2024. This was a one-time funding opportunity; no new solicitation is currently open.
The program funds equipment purchases, facility upgrades, infrastructure development, and market development activities that expand processing, aggregation, storage, transportation, distribution, and retail capacity for certified and transitioning organic producers and handlers. Recent awards reflect investments across dairy processing (equipment for milk handling, yogurt production, cheese making), grain and legume processing (cleaning, milling, pelletizing equipment), value-added product development (hot sauce, jam, hummus production lines), and supply chain logistics (grain terminals with rail access, delivery vehicles). Representative awards include $3 million to Straus Family Creamery for yogurt and ice cream capacity expansion; $3 million to Des Moines Industrial for a dedicated organic grain aggregation and marketing terminal with railroad connectivity in central Iowa; and $2.97 million to The Ecology Center for value-added processing capacity in Southern California supporting small farms. Marketing and demand-development projects also received funding, such as $2.22 million to the Organic Trade Association for consumer promotion campaigns and $2.04 million to Agoge to establish markets for organic hemp protein isolate.
The program is administered exclusively by USDA Agricultural Marketing Service and operates entirely through Project Grants. Award sizes range from approximately $48,500 to $3 million, with a median in the low six figures. Recipients represent a mix of for-profit agricultural operations, nonprofit organizations, farmer cooperatives, and state agencies. Eligible applicants include certified and transitioning organic producers and handlers across all entity types. Awards fund projects with completion timelines of up to three years for market development and processing capacity expansion, or six months for equipment-only turnkey projects. Recipients must retain all financial records for three years after final reporting. No renewal funding is available, though a one-year extension to complete approved activities may be requested.
The source indicates this represented a one-time appropriation for fiscal year 2023. No current or recently posted opportunities appear in the source material. The program addressed documented gaps in organic infrastructure, rotational crop markets, livestock feed supply, and market access identified through stakeholder input and listening sessions.
Objective and description
- Objective
The Organic Market Development Grant (OMDG) supports the development of new and expanded organic markets by providing additional resources and certainty for businesses transitioning to organic or initiating new organic production and processing capac
- Description
This program provide funds to certified and transitioning organic producers and handlers to expand markets, supply chain infrastructure, and product development of domestically produced agricultural products.
Eligibility
- Beneficiary eligibility
Local, Public nonprofit institution/organization, Other public institution/organization, Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Governments, Individual/Family, Minority group, Specialized group (e.g. health professionals, students, veterans), Small business, Profit organization, Private nonprofit institution/organization, Anyone/general public, Native American Organizations, Farmer/Rancher/Agriculture Producer, Small Business Person, Consumer, Black, American Indian, Spanish Origin, Asian, Other Non-White, Migrant, U.S. Citizen, Refugee/Alien, Women, School, Moderate Income, Low Income, Major Metropolis (over 250,000), Other Urban, Suburban, Rural
- Uses of assistance
Funds should be use to 1) Increase of domestic organic supply chain capacity for producers, handlers, suppliers, and processors; Facilitate market development for domestically produced organic food products; Expand capacity for processing, aggregation, and distribution of agricultural products to create more and better markets for producers; Modernize manufacturing, tracking, storage, and information technology systems, such as process control or organic ingredient tracking systems; Improve the capacity of entities to comply with regulatory requirements or quality standards required to access markets, such as food safety and organic certification; and Market and promotional activities that help build commercial markets for U.S. organic agricultural products and commodities.
- Length and time phasing of assistance
Length of time of the assistance in the request for applications. Funds are advanced or reimbursed. Applicants for Market Development and Promotion or Processing Capacity Expansion projects have up to 3 calendar years to use the funds. Turnkey Equipment-Only projects have 6 months to purchase and install equipment. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: See www.ams.usda.gov/grants for grant agreement award terms and conditions to obtain information on how assistance is awarded/released.
How to apply
- Criteria for selecting proposals
Applications were evaluated based on the criteria established for the program and described in the RFA. The most current RFA is available via Grants.gov or www.ams.usda.gov/grants.
- Award procedure
AMS outlines the application requirements and merit review process in each grant program's request for applications. Applicants are required to use the request for applications to apply for grant funds. After the application deadline has passed, applications will be reviewed and scored against the benchmarks for high-quality proposals described in the request for applications.
- Deadlines
This was a one-time funding opportunity. Refer to the program webpage at https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants and visit the How to Apply tab for updated information.
- Renewals
Awards are issued for up to 3 years in length. Renewals are not applicable. A one- year extension to complete approved project activities may be requested, subject to AMS approval.
- Appeals
Applicants and recipients may appeal certain decisions in accordance with AMS appeal policies. Please refer to AMS appeal policies at https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/policies-procedures
Grant opportunities
| Opportunity | Status | Posted | Applications due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Organic Market Development Grants | Closed |
Grant awards
Latest 10 of 107 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big Sandy Organics, LLC | $3,000,000 | 4% |
| 2 | RKH Gin LLC | $3,000,000 | 4% |
| 3 | Rumiano Cheese CO. | $3,000,000 | 4% |
| 4 | The Delong Co., Inc. | $3,000,000 | 4% |
| 5 | Valley Malt LLC | $3,000,000 | 4% |
| 6 | Wehah Farm, Inc. | $3,000,000 | 4% |
| 7 | Zego LLC | $3,000,000 | 4% |
| 8 | DES Moines Industrial, LLC | $3,000,000 | 4% |
| 9 | California Certified Organic Farmers Inc. | $3,000,000 | 4% |
| 10 | Straus Family Creamery, Inc. | $3,000,000 | 4% |
10 of 105 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2024 | $85,191,373 |
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 10.188?
Assistance Listing 10.188 is Organic Market Development Grant (OMDG) Program, a federal grant program run by Agricultural Marketing Service (Department of Agriculture).
What is the CFDA number for Organic Market Development Grant (OMDG) Program?
Its CFDA number is 10.188: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 10.188 awarded?
107 grant awards under 10.188 have obligated $85,191,373 in federal funds to 105 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 10.188?
The recipients obligated the most under Organic Market Development Grant (OMDG) Program are Big Sandy Organics, LLC ($3,000,000), RKH Gin LLC ($3,000,000) and Rumiano Cheese CO. ($3,000,000).
Are there open grant opportunities under 10.188?
No opportunity listed under 10.188 is open now. The latest, Organic Market Development Grants, was posted on May 10, 2023.
On GovTribe
See this program's full record
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