USDA Designates 3 Maryland Counties as Primary Natural Disaster Areas for Drought

USDA Designates 3 Maryland Counties  as Primary Natural Disaster Areas for Drought 

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 to refinance 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 eight or more consecutive weeks or 2) D3 Drought-Extreme or D4 Drought-Exceptional.

Impacted Area: Maryland

Triggering Disaster: Drought (Fast Track)

Application Deadline: August 6, 2024 to April 7, 2025

Primary Counties Eligible: Frederick, Garrett, Washington

Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:

State: Maryland

Additional Counties: Alleghany, Carroll, Howard, Montgomery

State: Pennsylvania

Additional Counties: Adams, Fayette, Franklin, Fulton, Somerset

State: Virginia

Additional Counties: Loudon

State: West Virginia

Additional Counties: Berkeley, Grant, Jefferson, Mineral, Morgan, Preston

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