USDA Designates 17 Pennsylvania Counties as Primary Natural Disaster Areas

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. 

Impacted Area: Pennsylvania

Triggering Disaster #1: Drought that occurred during May 15, 2022, through September 20, 2022

Application Deadline: Oct. 2, 2023 

Primary Counties Eligible: Tioga 

Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:

Pennsylvania: Bradford, Lycoming and Potter

New York: Chemung and Steuben 

Impacted Area: Pennsylvania

Triggering Disaster #2: Drought that occurred during June 1, 2022, through August 30, 2022

Application Deadline: Oct. 2, 2023 

Primary Counties Eligible: Clarion, Clearfield, Elk, Forest, Jefferson, Venango and Warren       

Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:

Pennsylvania:

Armstrong                   Cameron                     Erie

Blair                            Centre                         Indiana

Butler                          Clinton                        McKean

Cambria                      Crawford                     Mercer

New York: Cattaraugus and Chautauqua 

Impacted Area: Pennsylvania

Triggering Disaster #3: Drought that occurred during June 1, 2022, through September 13, 2022

Application Deadline: Oct. 2, 2023 

Primary Counties Eligible: Snyder and Union 

Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:

Pennsylvania: Centre, Clinton, Juniata, Lycoming, Mifflin and Northumberland 

Impacted Area: Pennsylvania

Triggering Disaster #4: Drought that occurred during July 1, 2022, and September 4, 2022

Application Deadline: Oct. 2, 2023 

Primary Counties Eligible: Carbon, Lehigh, Monroe and Northampton 

Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:

Pennsylvania: Berks, Bucks, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Montgomery, Pike, Schuylkill and Wayne

New Jersey: Sussex and Warren 

Impacted Area: Pennsylvania

Triggering Disaster #5: Drought that occurred during July 1, 2022, through October 1, 2022

Application Deadline: Oct. 2, 2023 

Primary Counties Eligible: Susquehanna and Wyoming 

Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:

Pennsylvania: Bradford, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Sullivan and Wayne

New York: Broome and Tioga 

Impacted Area: Pennsylvania

Triggering Disaster #6: Drought that occurred during July 19,2022, through October 4, 2022

Application Deadline: Oct. 2, 2023 

Primary Counties Eligible: Dauphin 

Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:

Pennsylvania:

Cumberland                Lancaster              Northumberland                                    Schuylkill

Juniata                        Lebanon                Perry                                    York 

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.