Nine Massachusetts Counties Designated Primary Natural Disaster Areas Due to Drought
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on August 15, 2022, that Secretary Vilsack has designated nine (9) Massachusetts Counties as primary natural disaster areas due to the 2022 drought.
Disaster designation areas for Massachusetts Counties and contiguous states include:
Nine (9) Massachusetts Primary Counties include:
- Barnstable
- Essex
- Plymouth
- Bristol
- Middlesex
- Suffolk
- Dukes
- Norfolk
- Worcester
Three (3) Massachusetts Contiguous Counties include:
- Franklin
- Hampden
- Hampshire
Contiguous Counties in Adjacent States include:
- Connecticut: Tolland, Windham
- New Hampshire: Cheshire, Hillsborough, Rockingham
- Rhode Island: Bristol, Newport, Providence
A USDA Secretarial disaster designation makes farm operators in primary counties and the contiguous counties above eligible to be considered for assistance from the Farm Service Agency (FSA), provided eligibility requirements are met. This assistance includes FSA loans.
Farmers in eligible counties have eight (8) months from the date of the disaster declaration to apply for emergency loans.
More information on assistance is available at Disaster Assistance Programs (usda.gov)
Local FSA offices can provide affected farmers with further information. Massachusetts FSA link is available here: Massachusetts State Office (usda.gov)
