USDA Designates 10 Virginia Counties as Primary Natural Disaster Areas

Contact: FPAC.BC.Press@usda.gov

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

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7, 2020 – Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue designated 10 Virginia counties as primary natural disaster areas. Producers who suffered losses due to recent 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 Amherst, Appomattox,  Campbell, and Pittsylvania counties, who suffered losses due to drought and excessive heat that occurred between July 1, 2019 and Oct. 16, 2019, are eligible to apply for emergency loans. 

Producers in the contiguous Virginia counties of Bedford, Buckingham, Charlotte, Franklin, Halifax, Henry, Nelson, Prince Edward, and Rockbridge, along with the independent cities of Danville and Lynchburg, and Caswell and Rockingham counties in North Carolina, are also eligible to apply for emergency loans. 

Drought

Producers in Albemarle, Fluvanna, Goochland, Louisa, Nelson, and Rockbridge counties, who suffered losses due to drought that occurred between Aug. 3, 2019, and Nov. 7, 2019, are eligible to apply for emergency loans. 

Producers in the contiguous Virginia counties of Alleghany, Amherst, Appomattox, Augusta, Bath, Bedford, Botetourt, Buckingham, Chesterfield, Cumberland, Greene, Hanover, Henrico, Orange, Powhatan, Rockingham, and Spotsylvania, along with the independent cities of Buena Vista, Charlottesville, and Lexington, are also eligible to apply for emergency loans. 

The deadline to apply for these emergency loans is Sept. 29, 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.