WASHINGTON, Feb. 11, 2020 — Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue designated 39 Virginia counties as primary natural disaster areas. Producers who suffered losses caused by two separate disaster events may be eligible for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) emergency loans

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USDA Designates 39 Virginia Counties as Primary Natural Disaster Areas

Emergency Support to Producers in Surrounding Counties/Border States Also Available 

WASHINGTON, Feb. 11, 2020 — Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue designated 39 Virginia counties as primary natural disaster areas. Producers who suffered losses caused by two separate disaster events may be eligible for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) emergency loans

This natural disaster designation allows FSA to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters. 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. 

Drought and Excessive Heat

Producers in Amelia, Bedford, Bland, Botetourt, Buchanan, Buckingham, Charlotte, Chesterfield, Craig, Cumberland, Dickenson, Fauquier, Floyd, Franklin, Giles, Henry, Lunenburg, Montgomery, Nottoway, Powhatan, Prince Edward, Pulaski, Roanoke, Russell, Tazewell, Wise, and Wythe counties, who suffered losses due to drought and excessive heat that has occurred since June 25, 2019, are eligible to apply for emergency loans. 

Producers in the contiguous Virginia areas of Albemarle, Alleghany, Amherst, Appomattox, Brunswick, Campbell, Carroll, Charles City, Clarke, Culpeper, Dinwiddie, Fluvanna, Goochland, Grayson, Halifax, Henrico, Lee, Loudoun, Mecklenburg, Nelson, Patrick, Pittsylvania, Prince George, Prince William, Rappahannock, Rockbridge, Scott, Smyth, Stafford, Warren, Washington, Bristol, Buena Vista, Charlottesville, Colonial Heights, Covington, Danville, Galax, Hopewell, Lexington, Lynchburg, Martinsville, Norton, Petersburg, Radford, Richmond City, Roanoke City, and Salem, along with Harlan, Letcher, and Pike counties in Kentucky; Rockingham and Stokes counties in North Carolina; and McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, Monroe, and Summers counties in West Virginia, are also eligible to apply for emergency loans. 

Drought

Producers in Caroline, Essex, Greensville, Hanover, King and Queen, King George, King William, Loudoun, Mecklenburg, Prince William, Spotsylvania, and Stafford counties, who suffered losses due drought that has occurred since Aug. 1, 2019, are eligible to apply for emergency loans. 

Producers in the contiguous Virginia areas of Brunswick, Charles City, Charlotte, Clarke, Culpepper, Dinwiddie, Fairfax, Fauquier, Gloucester, Goochland, Halifax, Henrico, James City, Lancaster, Louisa, Lunenburg, Middlesex, New Kent, Orange, Richmond, Southampton, Sussex, Warren, Westmoreland, Emporia, Fairfax City, Fredericksburg, Manassas, Manassas Park, and Richmond City, along with Charles, Frederick, Montgomery, and Washington counties in Maryland; Granville, Halifax, Northampton, Person, Vance, and Warren counties in North Carolina; and Jefferson County, West Virginia, are also eligible to apply for emergency loans.

The deadline to apply for these emergency loans is Oct. 5, 2020. 

FSA will review the loans based on the extent of losses, security available and repayment ability. 

FSA has a variety of additional programs to help farmers recover from the impacts of this disaster. FSA programs that do not require a disaster declaration include: Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program; Emergency Conservation Program; Livestock Forage Disaster Program; Livestock Indemnity Program; Operating and Farm Ownership Loans; and the Tree Assistance Program

Farmers may contact their local USDA service center for further information on eligibility requirements and application procedures for these and other programs. Additional information is also available online at farmers.gov/recover.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.