By Blake Jackson
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has issued a Secretarial natural disaster designation for counties in Pennsylvania affected by severe drought conditions.
This designation allows farmers and ranchers to apply for emergency loans through the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) to aid in their recovery from the natural disaster.
These loans can be used for various recovery needs, including replacing essential equipment or livestock, reorganizing a farming operation, or refinancing certain debts.
FSA evaluates loan applications based on the severity of losses, available security, and repayment capacity.
The drought conditions that triggered this disaster designation were reported by the U.S. Drought Monitor, which identified a drought intensity value of D2 (Severe) for at least eight consecutive weeks, or D3 (Extreme) or D4 (Exceptional) drought levels.
The affected area includes Pennsylvania, with the drought disaster officially beginning on November 19, 2024. Farmers in contiguous counties, such as Chester, Montgomery, and Philadelphia, are also eligible for assistance.
The application deadline for these emergency loans is July 25, 2025. Farmers and ranchers seeking help can use the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Loan Assistance Tool, and Disaster Assistance-at-a-Glance fact sheet on farmers.gov to explore available programs and loan options. For further inquiries or to file a Notice of Loss, individuals can contact their local USDA Service Center.
Photo Credit: usda-farm-service-agency
Categories: Pennsylvania, Government & Policy, Weather