This Secretarial natural disaster designation allows the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters through emergency loans. Emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs including the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation or the refinance of certain debts. FSA will review the loans based on the extent of losses, security available and repayment ability.
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, these counties suffered from a drought intensity value during the growing season of 1) D2 Drought-Severe for 8 or more consecutive weeks or 2) D3 Drought-Extreme or D4 Drought-Exceptional.
Impacted Area: Pennsylvania
Triggering Disaster 1: Drought that occurred during April 7 through Oct. 3, 2022
Application Deadline: Aug. 21, 2023
Primary Counties Eligible: Berks, Bucks and Montgomery
Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:
Pennsylvania: Chester, Delaware, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Northampton, Philadelphia and Schuylkill
New Jersey: Burlington, Hunterdon, Mercer and Warren
Impacted Area: Pennsylvania
Triggering Disaster 2: Drought that occurred during June 1 through Aug. 31, 2022
Application Deadline: Aug. 21, 2023
Primary Counties Eligible: Bradford and Sullivan
Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:
Pennsylvania: Columbia, Luzerne, Lycoming, Susquehanna, Tioga and Wyoming
New York: Chemung and Tioga
Impacted Area: Pennsylvania
Triggering Disaster 3: Drought that occurred during June 1 through Sept. 15, 2022
Application Deadline: Aug. 21, 2023
Primary Counties Eligible: Lycoming
Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:
Pennsylvania: Bradford, Clinton, Columbia, Montour, Northumberland, Potter, Sullivan, Tioga and Union
Impacted Area: Pennsylvania
Triggering Disaster 4: Drought that occurred during June 10 and Aug. 31, 2022
Application Deadline: Aug. 21, 2023
Primary Counties Eligible: Northumberland
Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:
Pennsylvania: Columbia, Dauphin, Juniata, Lycoming, Montour, Perry, Schuylkill, Snyder and Union
Impacted Area: Pennsylvania
Triggering Disaster 5: Drought that occurred during July 1 through Oct. 1, 2022
Application Deadline: Aug. 21, 2023
Primary Counties Eligible: Lackawanna and Wayne
Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:
Pennsylvania: Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, Susquehanna and Wyoming
New York: Broome, Delaware and Sullivan
Impacted Area: Pennsylvania
Triggering Disaster 6: Drought that occurred during July 1 through Sept. 20, 2022
Application Deadline: Aug. 21, 2023
Primary Counties Eligible: Columbia and Montour
Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:
Pennsylvania: Luzerne, Lycoming, Northumberland, Schuylkill and Sullivan
Impacted Area: Pennsylvania
Triggering Disaster 7: Drought that occurred during July 1 through Sept. 30, 2022
Application Deadline: Aug. 21, 2023
Primary Counties Eligible: Cumberland
Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:
Pennsylvania: Adams, Dauphin, Franklin, Perry and York
More Resources
On farmers.gov, the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster Assistance-at-a-Glance fact sheet, and Farm Loan Discovery Tool can help you determine program or loan options. To file a Notice of Loss or to ask questions about available programs, contact your local USDA Service Center.
