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USDA Designates Washington County as a Natural Disaster Area Due to Drought Conditions

WASHINGTON COUNTY, MD (June 16, 2025) – The Washington County’s Office of Emergency Management is sharing information from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) regarding a recent natural disaster designation for Washington County and other surrounding jurisdictions due to prolonged drought conditions.

The USDA has officially designated Washington, Frederick, and Harford counties as primary natural disaster areas. This designation allows the USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) to provide emergency credit through low-interest loans to help farmers recover from losses related to the drought.

In addition to the primary counties, contiguous counties in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia are also eligible for assistance. These counties include:

  • Maryland: Allegany, Baltimore, Carroll, Cecil, Howard, Kent, Montgomery
  • Pennsylvania: Adams, Franklin, Fulton, Lancaster, York
  • Virginia: Loudoun
  • West Virginia: Berkeley, Jefferson, Morgan

Farmers in these affected areas may apply for USDA emergency loans to help with recovery efforts such as replacing livestock or equipment, restructuring operations, or refinancing certain debts. Loan applications will be reviewed based on the severity of losses, available collateral, and repayment ability.

To learn more about eligibility and available resources, producers are encouraged to visit farmers.gov where they can access the following tools:

To file a Notice of Loss or speak directly with a representative, contact your local USDA Service Center.

For additional information, please contact Washington County’s Public Relations and Marketing Department at 240-313-2380 or [email protected].

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