USDA Designates Two Maryland Counties as Primary Natural Disaster Areas for Drought; Additional Primary and Contiguous Disaster Counties also located in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia.

This Secretarial natural disaster designation allows the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters through emergency loans. Emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs including the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation, or to refinance certain debts. FSA will review the loans based on the extent of losses, security available, and repayment ability.

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, these counties 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.

Disaster #1:

Impacted Area: Frederick, Montgomery, and Washington Counties in Maryland

Triggering Disaster: Drought

Application Deadline: June 24, 2024

Primary Counties Eligible:

Virginia: Clarke, Fauquier, Frederick, Loudon, Rappahannock, Shenandoah, Warren

Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:

Maryland: Frederick, Montgomery, Washington

Virginia: Culpeper, Fairfax, Madison, Page, Prince William, Rockingham, Stafford, Winchester

West Virginia: Berkeley, Hampshire, Hardy, Jefferson, Morgan

 

Disaster #2:

Impacted Area: Frederick and Washington Counties in Maryland

Triggering Disaster: Drought

Application Deadline: July 1, 2024

Primary Counties Eligible:

Maryland: Frederick and Washington

Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:

Maryland: Allegany, Carroll, Howard, Montgomery

Pennsylvania: Adams, Franklin, Fulton

Virginia: Loudon

West Virginia: Berkeley, Jefferson, Morgan

 

Disaster #3:

Impacted Area: Washington County in Maryland

Triggering Disaster: Drought

Application Deadline: June 24, 2024

Primary Counties Eligible:

West Virginia: Jefferson

Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:

Maryland: Washington

Virginia: Clarke, Frederick, Loudon

West Virginia: Berkeley

More Resources

On farmers.gov, the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster Assistance-at-a-Glance fact sheet, and Loan Assistance Tool can help you determine program or loan options. To file a Notice of Loss or to ask questions about available programs, contact your local  USDA Service Center.