This Presidential disaster declaration 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.
Impacted Area: North Carolina, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia
Triggering Disaster: Hurricane Helene (September 25, 2024)
Application Deadline: May 28, 2025
Primary Counties Eligible:
State: North Carolina
Counties: Eastern Cherokee, Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, McDowell, Macon, Madison, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, Yancey
Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:
State: Georgia
Counties: Rabun, Towns, Union
State: North Carolina
Counties: Cherokee, Graham, Iredell, Mecklenburg, Surry, Swain, Yadkin
State: South Carolina
Counties: Cherokee, Greenville, Oconee, Pickens, Spartanburg, York
State: Tennessee
Counties: Carter, Cocke, Greene, Johnson, Sevier, Unicoi
State: Virginia
Counties: Grayson
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.
FEMA offers different assistance programs for individual citizens, public groups including government agencies and private nonprofit organizations. To find the FEMA help you need following a disaster event, visit fema.gov/assistance.
Farm Service Agency:
1400 Independence Ave.
SW Washington, DC 20250
Contact:
FPAC Press Desk
FPAC.BC.Press@usda.gov