October 27, 2023
Fifteen Virginia Localities Eligible for USDA Emergency Loans Through Drought Designation
Contact: Michael Wallace

USDA Secretary Thomas Vilsack has designated seven Virginia counties as primary natural disaster areas due to the recent drought including Clarke, Fauquier, Frederick, Loudoun, Rappahannock, Shenandoah, and Warren counties. Farmers in these primary counties are now eligible to be considered for certain assistance from the Farm Service Agency (FSA). Culpeper, Fairfax, Madison, Page, Prince William, Rockingham, and Stafford counties and the city of Winchester are contiguous to the seven primary drought declaration counties and farmers in these localities are also eligible for drought emergency assistance.

This assistance includes FSA emergency loans. Provided eligibility requirements are met, the FSA will assess each emergency loan application individually and will consider specific circumstances and needs. Farmers in eligible localities have eight months from the date of the disaster declaration to apply for emergency loans.

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, these localities suffered from a drought intensity value during the growing season of 1) D2 Drought-Severe for eight or more consecutive weeks or 2) D3 Drought-Extreme or D4 Drought-Exceptional.

For more information on available assistance programs and the application process, please visit the Virginia FSA State Office website or call 804.287.1500.

Additional information on USDA Disaster Assistance Programs.

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