WASHINGTON—Agricultural producers across nine Virginia counties can now access emergency financial assistance after the U.S. Department of Agriculture declared their drought-affected regions as natural disaster areas.
This federal designation enables the USDA Farm Service Agency to provide critical emergency funding to agricultural operations impacted by severe drought conditions. These financial resources may be utilized for equipment and livestock replacement, farm operation restructuring, or refinancing specific debts. The FSA will evaluate loan applications considering loss severity, available collateral, and the borrower’s capacity to repay.
The counties qualifying for emergency loan assistance are: Amherst, Appomattox, Buckingham, Campbell, Charlotte, Henry, Nelson, Pittsylvania and Sussex.
Furthermore, these adjacent regions also qualify for assistance: Albemarle, Augusta, Bedford, Cumberland, Dinwiddie, Fluvanna, Franklin, Greensville, Halifax, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, Patrick, Prince Edward, Prince George, Rockbridge, Southampton and Surry counties, along with the cities of Danville, Lynchburg and Martinsville.
Agricultural producers must submit loan applications by Jan. 31, 2027. Farmers may explore available programs and financing options by accessing farmers.gov and utilizing its Loan Assistance Tool.
For filing a Notice of Loss or additional inquiries, producers should reach out to their local USDA Service Center.
