The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated 22 localities in Virginia as natural drought disaster areas due to ongoing drought conditions. USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins announced the designations, which allow farmers in the affected areas to apply for certain types of assistance from the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA).
The primary designation covers the counties of Accomack, Caroline, Essex, King and Queen, King George, King William, Lancaster, Middlesex, Northumberland, Richmond, and Westmoreland. Farmers in these counties are eligible to apply for FSA help, including emergency loans. The designation also makes farmers in contiguous areas such as Fairfax, Gloucester, Hanover, James City, Mathews, New Kent, Northampton, Prince William, Spotsylvania, Stafford counties, and the city of Alexandria eligible for assistance.
FSA emergency loans are available, provided that eligibility criteria are met. These loans will be assessed on a case-by-case basis to address individual circumstances and needs. Farmers have until November 25, 2025, eight months from the date of the disaster declaration on March 25, 2025, to submit their applications.
The U.S. Drought Monitor has reported that these localities experienced a drought intensity level classified as either D2 Drought-Severe for at least eight consecutive weeks or D3 Drought-Extreme or D4 Drought-Exceptional during the growing season.
Additional information about assistance programs and the application process can be found on the Virginia FSA State Office website.
