(NAFB.com) – Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack announced new programs, partnerships, grant awards, and an additional $10 million in funding to expand markets for organic products and help producers transition to organic production. These programs will support the development of new and better markets for domestic organic products, provide hands-on training to producers making the transition to organic production, and ease the financial burden of obtaining organic certification. “Offsetting the costs for organic transition helps more farmers realize higher margins sooner while giving consumers more access to high-demand organic products,” Vilsack says. “The partnerships and technical support we offer will ease the transition for producers, and the investments in grant projects we’re announcing will reduce the organic industry’s reliance on imports, lower cost barriers for businesses transitioning to organic, and address crucial infrastructure needs.” USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service awarded approximately $24.8 million for 23 grant projects through its Organic Market Development Grant Program.