Step 1: Register for a VDACS WebGrants Account

• Read step-by-step instructions on Registering with the WebGrants System

Step 2: Sign in and complete the VDACS WebGrants Application – Reopened now!

• Read step-by-step instructions on submitting an application

Follow the application prompts to upload Submission Documents as described in the online application.

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Note:

• Document requirements will differ according to claim type. A sample Submission Document list is located below.
• If an eligible producer or timber owner has properties located across multiple localities, a separate application is required for each locality.

Document requirements will differ according to claim type. Follow application instructions to submit the appropriate documents from the following list:

• COV W-9 Form (The Virginia W-9 Form must be used, the Federal W-9 is not accepted)
• Tax Parcel ID
• Parcel Map
• Farm Service Agency (FSA) Farm Number(s)
• 578 Form
• Copy of Schedule F or other tax documentation demonstrating farming income
• Photographic Evidence of Damage or Destruction to:
• Greenhouses, barns, and packing houses, silos and other farm infrastructure that had a crop or livestock present in the structure within 12 months prior to the weather event.
• Above ground irrigation systems and plasticulture systems used for commercial agricultural purposes.
• Commercial aquaculture infrastructure.
• Farm roads, bridges or culverts that provide direct access to a crop production area or livestock production area that was in production within 12 months of the weather event.
• Documentation or evidence of harvested crops that were destroyed or crops that remained unharvested due to a loss of market (i.e. unsold crops that were destroyed because the market became unavailable because of the weather event).
• Documentation of ownership of private timber, with a minimum of 10 contiguous acres, which sustained moderate, severe or very severe damage due to the storm.
• Documentation of any timber sale contract for timber that was not yet harvested at the time of the weather event.
• Insurance adjustment reports and / or proof of insurance payments related to farm infrastructure losses.
• Invoices demonstrating replacement costs for certain farm infrastructure or third-party vendor estimates for repair or replacement costs.
• Documentation of application to, or payment received from, any other USDA indemnity or recovery program as a result of Hurricane Helene.
• Documentation of salvage payments received, timber damage, loss or timber casualty.

Note: Any producer that applied for program benefits during the initial enrollment period, regardless of payment eligibility, will not be allowed to reapply during the subsequent round.

Farmers – Eligible producer is a producer that suffered an eligible loss as a direct result of Hurricane Helene and the loss must be located in an eligible locality.

Timber Owners – Eligible timber producer means a person or entity involved with harvesting or manufacture of forest products that owns the timber rights on a property.

Eligible Producer(s) and Timber Owner(s) is a person or legal entity that must be a:

• citizen of the United States;
• resident alien; for purposes of this part, resident alien means “lawful alien” as defined in 7 CFR part 1400;
• partnership consisting solely of citizens or resident aliens of the United States; or
• corporation, limited liability corporation, or other farm organizational structure organized under State law consisting solely of citizens or resident aliens of the United States.
• Indian Tribe or Tribal organization, as defined in section 4(b) of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).
• Foreign person or foreign entity who meets all requirements as described in 7 CFR part 1400.

To receive Virginia Farm Recovery Block Grant Program funding certain producers must agree to acquire and maintain USDA Risk Management coverage for a period of two crop years for market loss, future economic loss, plasticulture, and aquaculture claims.

Counties

• Bedford
• Bland
• Buchanan
• Carroll
• Craig
• Dickenson
• Floyd
• Giles
• Grayson
• Lee
• Montgomery
• Patrick
• Pittsylvania
• Pulaski
• Russell
• Scott
• Smyth
• Tazewell
• Washington
• Wise
• Wythe

Cities

• Bristol
• Covington
• Danville
• Galax
• Norton
• Radford

On-Farm Building Structures

• Eligible on-farm building structures include, but are not limited to barns, silos, greenhouses, etc.
• The eligible structures must have suffered at least a 15 percent loss (damage) as a result of Hurricane Helene.
• The structure is not required to have a commodity or livestock present at the time Hurricane Helene hit as long as there is evidence that commodities or livestock were present 12 months prior to Hurricane Helene.
• The eligible structure must be located in an eligible locality.
• Ineligible structures include, but are not limited to equipment buildings, repair shops, and movable equipment.

Roads, Bridges, and Culverts

• Eligible roads, bridges, and culverts must provide direct access to farm production and be located on the farm.
• To be eligible they must have suffered significant damage, such as a complete washout and be impassable.
• The eligible roads, bridges, and culverts must be located in an eligible locality.
• Roads, bridges, and culverts located on forest land are not eligible.

Above Ground Irrigation

• Eligibility is limited to above ground irrigation that had a crop being irrigated at the time of the weather event and suffered a loss at the time the infrastructure damage occurred as a result of the weather event.

Aquaculture Infrastructure

• Eligible infrastructure includes but is not limited to tanks, docks, breeding houses, and cages.
• The aquaculture infrastructure is not required to have aquaculture present at the time Hurricane Helene hit as long as there is evidence that aquaculture was present 12 months prior to Hurricane Helene.
• The eligible structures must have suffered at least a 15 percent loss (damage) as a result of Hurricane Helene.
• The eligible structure must be located in an eligible locality.
• Ineligible structures include but are not limited to boats and any equipment that is easily movable.
• The producer must obtain crop insurance or NAP coverage for certain future crop years.

Economic Loss for Perennial Crops

• Eligible losses include perennial crops, crops that take multiple years to mature, and rehabilitation of farmland.
• Eligible loss is based on the years between planting and having a harvestable/sellable commodity, which varies by commodity.
• The eligible loss must be located in an eligible locality.
• The producer must obtain crop insurance or NAP coverage for certain future crop years.

Market Loss

• Eligibility is limited to markets tied directly to the eligible producer’s produced crops.
• The crop must have been produced but could have spoiled before or after harvesting due to a lack of market availability.
• Losses tied to the producer’s operation that are not directly related to the sale of a crop (e.g., corn maze, hayride) are not eligible. Losses of sales of crops produced by other applicants are not eligible, including if the producer purchased the products from another producer and intended to resell them.
• The eligible loss must be located in an eligible locality.
• The producer must obtain crop insurance or NAP coverage for certain future crop years.

Plasticulture

• The eligible loss must be located in an eligible locality.
• The producer must obtain crop insurance or NAP coverage for certain future crop years.

Timber

• Eligible timber losses are limited to Private Forest Land.
• The land must be owned by a private individual, group, association, corporation, or other private legal entity. Note: Forest industry land is an ownership class of private land owned by a company or an individual(s) operating or supplying a primary wood-processing plant. Any compensation received by the owner for damaged timber salvaged after the storm up to the time of application must be deducted from timber loss payment.
• Applicant must be the owner of the property at the time of the storm including timber rights, or the holder of the timber rights at the time of the storm.
• An application must be from an owner with a minimum of 10 contiguous acres, under the same ownership, of which a moderate, severe, or very severe level of timber damage occurred on at least one acre of that ownership.
• The land must have had tree cover immediately before Hurricane Helene occurred and is suitable for growing trees.

Need help with your WebGrants forms? The documents below have step-by-step guidance to assist with with the WebGrants application process.

• Registering with the WebGrants System (PDF)
• Applying for Funding (PDF)
• Business information Form (PDF)
• Property Information Form (PDF)
• Timber Form (PDF)
• Infrastructure Form (PDF)
• Aquaculture Infrastructure Loss Form (PDF)
• Above Ground Irrigation Loss Form (PDF)
• Future Economic Loss Form (PDF)
• Loss of Market Form (PDF)
• Plasticulture Form (PDF)
• Acknowledgement Form (PDF)

Sample Substitute W-9 Forms

The sample substitute W-9 forms below are intended to assist in completing the required form.

• Sample Substitute W-9 SSN Form (PDF)
• Sample Substitute W-9 EIN Form (PDF)