October 22, 2024
USDA Designates Fifteen Virginia Localities as Disaster Areas Due to the Impacts of Tropical Storm Debby

Fifteen Virginia localities have received natural disaster designations due to losses caused by excessive rain and wind from Tropical Storm Debby. Farmers in the primary designation locality of Sussex County are now eligible to be considered for certain assistance from the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA). Farmers with operations in the counties that are contiguous to Sussex County are also eligible. These counties include Dinwiddie, Greensville, Prince George, Southampton, and Surry counties. In addition, Brunswick, Carroll, Grayson, Halifax, Henry, Mecklenburg, Patrick, Pittsylvania counties and the city of Danville are also eligible for emergency assistance, as they are contiguous to primary localities within North Carolina.

The United States Department of Agriculture reviews a locality’s loss assessment reports and determines that there are sufficient production losses to warrant a primary natural disaster designation. The disaster designation makes farm operations in primary and contiguous localities eligible to be considered for FSA emergency loan assistance. Provided eligibility requirements are met, FSA assesses each emergency loan application individually and will consider specific circumstances and needs. Farmers in eligible localities have eight months from the date of the disaster declaration to apply for emergency loans. These designated localities have until June 15, 2025, to apply.

For more information on available assistance programs and the application process, please visit the Virginia FSA State Office website at www.fsa.usda.gov/state-offices/Virginia or call (804) 287-1500.

For a list of hurricane assistance and relief resources and general guidance, please visit https://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/hurricane-helene-relief.shtml or https://ext.vt.edu/hurricane-relief.html.

Additional information on USDA Disaster Assistance Programs is available at https://www.farmers.gov/sites/default/files/2022-07/farmersgov-disaster-assistance-brochure-07-21-2022.pdf.

Chesapeake received natural disaster designation as a contiguous locality on Nov. 6

Virginia Beach received natural disaster designation as a contiguous locality on Nov. 6