The United States Department of Agriculture has officially declared nine Maryland counties as primary natural disaster areas on April 17, 2026, following prolonged drought conditions that have severely impacted agricultural operations during the current growing season.
Agricultural producers in the counties of Allegany, Carroll, and Charles are among those receiving the federal disaster designation, which will unlock emergency assistance programs for farmers dealing with crop losses and livestock challenges caused by the extended period of insufficient rainfall.
The drought disaster declaration comes as farmers across the affected regions continue to struggle with water shortages that have hampered planting schedules and threatened crop yields during critical growing months.
This federal designation will allow eligible farmers and ranchers access to low-interest emergency loans and other disaster relief programs administered through the USDA’s Farm Service Agency to help recover from drought-related agricultural losses.
