This Presidential disaster declaration 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 to refinance certain debts. FSA will review the loans based on the extent of losses, security available, and repayment ability.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Commodity Credit Corporation today announced that the marketing assistance loan rate for 2026-crop base quality upland cotton is 55.00 cents per pound, an increase over the 2025 upland cotton crop loan rates, allowing producers of upland cotton to borrow a higher share of the value of crops placed under loan.

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Base quality upland cotton has the following characteristics: color grade 41, leaf grade 4, staple length 1-1/16 inches, micronaire 3.5-3.6 and 4.3-4.9, strength 26.0-28.9 grams per tex and length uniformity of 80.0-81.9%.

The USDA announced that the marketing assistance loan rate for 2026-crop base quality upland cotton will be set at 55.00 cents per pound, an increase from the 2025 rates. This higher loan rate, established by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, allows cotton producers to borrow a greater share of their crop's value when using USDA's marketing assistance loans for interim financing. The increase provides producers more flexibility to store cotton at harvest when prices are typically low and sell later when market conditions improve.

The USDA announced $531 million in recovery assistance for Georgia agricultural producers affected by Hurricane Helene through a block grant agreement with the Georgia Department of Agriculture. This substantial funding will cover future economic losses, infrastructure damage, and timber losses, representing Georgia's share of the $30 billion disaster relief effort authorized by the American Relief Act, 2025. The assistance comes as part of USDA's broader disaster response that includes working with 14 states to develop customized recovery programs, with Georgia receiving one of the largest allocations to help farm families recover from the hurricane's devastating economic impact.

The USDA announced $38.3 million in recovery assistance for South Carolina agricultural producers affected by Hurricane Helene through a block grant agreement with the South Carolina Department of Agriculture. This funding will help cover infrastructure and timber losses, as well as future economic and market losses not addressed by other USDA disaster programs. The assistance is part of a broader $30 billion disaster relief effort authorized by the American Relief Act, 2025, with USDA working with 14 states to develop customized recovery programs that address each state's unique disaster recovery needs.

Impacted Area: Kansas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Nebraska

Triggering Disaster: Severe Storms, Fires, and Winter Storms

Application Deadline: Wednesday, January 21, 2026

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This Presidential disaster declaration 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.

Impacted Area: Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio.

Triggering Disaster(s): Flooding, excessive rain, tornado, high winds

Application Deadline: May 18, 2026

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Physical loss loans through the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) can help producers repair or replace damaged or destroyed physical property essential to the success of the agricultural operation, including livestock losses.

The USDA announced a second Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP) payment to agricultural producers, bringing the total payment factor to 99% of the authorized $10 billion in assistance for the 2024 crop year. Over $8 billion has already been distributed to help farmers navigate increased input costs and falling commodity prices, with eligible producers receiving an additional 14% payment automatically. Combined with other disaster relief programs including over $1 billion in livestock assistance and $5.4 billion in crop loss payments, these funds aim to help producers manage market volatility, pay down debt, and secure financing for the upcoming growing season.

Impacted Area: New Hampshire, Vermont

Triggering Disaster: Drought

Application Deadline: May 18, 2026

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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.

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The Trump Administration recently appointed George Turner as the new State Executive Director (SED) for the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Maryland. Turner joined the Maryland FSA team on Aug. 25, 2025.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced acceptance of 1.78 million acres into the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) through 2025 General, Continuous, Grassland, and Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program enrollments.

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USDA announced it will provide approximately $1 billion in disaster recovery assistance to livestock producers through the Emergency Livestock Relief Program for those impacted by floods and wildfires in 2023 and 2024. The program helps offset increased supplemental feed costs, with sign-up beginning September 15, 2025, and applications due by October 31, 2025. Eligible producers can receive up to 60% of calculated feed costs for one month (wildfire) or three months (flood), with a combined payment limit of $125,000 per program year.

The Trump Administration recently appointed Laurie Boner as the new State Executive Director (SED) for the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Wyoming. Boner joined the Wyoming FSA team on Aug. 25, 2025.

The Trump Administration recently appointed Keith Richmond as the new State Executive Director (SED) for the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) in West Virginia. Richmond joined the West Virgina FSA team on Aug. 11, 2025.

The Trump Administration recently appointed Jeffrey Holmes as the new State Executive Director (SED) for the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) in New Hampshire. Holmes joined the New Hampshire FSA team on Aug. 25, 2025.

The Trump Administration recently appointed Susan Larson as the new State Executive Director (SED) for the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Utah. Larson joined the Utah FSA team on Aug. 25, 2025.

The Trump Administration recently appointed Keith Richmond as the new State Executive Director (SED) for the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) in West Virginia. Richmond joined the West Virgina FSA team on Aug. 11, 2025.

The Trump Administration recently appointed Eddie Fields as the new State Executive Director (SED) for the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Oklahoma.

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The Trump Administration recently appointed Robert Andrzejczak as the new State Executive Director (SED) for the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) in New Jersey. Andrzejczak joined the New Jersey FSA team on Aug. 11, 2025.

The Trump Administration recently appointed Tootie Smith as the new State Executive Director (SED) for the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Oregon. Tootie joined the Oregon FSA team on Aug. 25, 2025.

The USDA has signed a $221.2 million block-grant agreement with North Carolina to aid producers in recovering from agricultural losses caused by Hurricane Helene, covering infrastructure, timber, market, and future-year revenue losses. This funding is part of the $30 billion disaster-assistance effort authorized by the American Relief Act of 2025.  This initiative joins similar block-grant recoveries recently announced for Virginia and Florida, each tailored to cover those states’ unique agricultural recovery needs

Impacted Area(s): Idaho, Montana, Washington

Triggering Disaster: Drought

Application Deadline: 04/06/2026

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.

Impacted Area(s): Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming

Triggering Disaster: Drought (Fast Track)

Application Deadline: April 13, 2026

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.

Impacted Area: Indiana

Triggering Disaster: Excessive rain that occurred on March 30, 2025, and continuing.

Application Deadline: April 4, 2026

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.

The USDA’s Farm Service Agency announced the lending interest rates for September 2025, effective as of September 1, 2025. Direct Farm Operating Loans are set at 4.875%, while Farm Ownership Loans are tiered: 5.875% (direct), 3.875% (joint financing), and 1.875% (down payment). Emergency loans for actual losses carry a rate of 3.750%, and commodity and farm storage facility loans — backed by the Commodity Credit Corporation — range from 5.000% for short-term commodity loans to 4.500% for 12-year storage loans, with sugar storage at 4.750% over 15 years. Producers can explore these options and navigate the borrowing process using USDA’s Loan Assistance Tool on farmers.gov.

Impacted Area: Idaho, Montana, Washington, Oregon,

Triggering Disaster: Drought

Application Deadline: Various ranging from 04/06/2025 - 04/20/25

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.

Impacted Area: Iowa

‍Triggering Disaster: Severe thunderstorms and high winds that occurred on June 11, 2025 (N1878)

‍Application Deadline: April 20, 2026

Physical loss loans through the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) can help producers repair or replace damaged or destroyed physical property essential to the success of the agricultural operation, including livestock losses.

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Impacted Area: Idaho, Montana, and Washington

Triggering Disaster: Drought (Fast Track)

Application Deadline: April 6, 2026

Impacted Area: Montana, Utah, Idaho, Colorado, and Wyoming

Triggering Disaster: Drought (Fast Track)

Application Deadline: April 13, 2026

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.

Impacted Area(s): Pennsylvania, Maryland

Triggering Disaster: Excessive Heat and Drought

Application Deadline:  April 20, 2026

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.