By Blake Jackson
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has issued a Secretarial natural disaster designation for areas in Pennsylvania impacted by severe drought conditions.
This designation enables the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) to offer emergency loans to agricultural producers struggling with drought-related losses.
Farmers and ranchers in the designated areas can use these emergency loans to recover from drought damage. Eligible uses for the loans include replacing essential equipment or livestock, restructuring farming operations, and refinancing certain debts.
Loan applications will be evaluated by FSA based on the severity of losses, available collateral, and the applicant’s ability to repay.
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, this designation stems from prolonged drought conditions, specifically when an area experiences a D2 (Severe Drought) for at least eight consecutive weeks, or a D3 (Extreme Drought) or D4 (Exceptional Drought) at any point during the growing season.
Montgomery County has been designated as the primary affected county. Farmers in adjacent counties like Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lehigh, and Philadelphia are also eligible for assistance.
Producers can visit farmers.gov to access tools such as the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool and Loan Assistance Tool. The deadline to apply for emergency assistance is February 2, 2026. For more help, contact your local USDA Service Center.
Photo Credit: usda
Categories: Pennsylvania, Business