USDA Designates Three Massachusetts Counties as Primary Natural Disaster Areas

News Release

Connecticut

November 23, 2022

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 the refinance of 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 8 or more consecutive weeks or 2) D3 Drought-Extreme or D4 Drought-Exceptional.

Impacted Area: Massachusetts

Triggering Disaster: Excessive heat and drought that occurred from May 9, 2022, and continuing

Application Deadline: May 30, 2023

Primary Counties Eligible: Berkshire, Hampden and Hampshire

Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:

Massachusetts: Franklin and Worcester

Connecticut: Hartford, Litchfield and Tolland

New York: Columbia, Dutchess and Rensselaer

Vermont: Bennington

More Resources

On farmers.gov, the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster Assistance-at-a-Glance fact sheet, and Farm Loan Discovery 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.

Farm Service Agency:

1400 Independence Ave.
SW Washington, DC 20250

Contact:

FPAC Press Desk
FPAC.BC.Press@usda.gov