COLUMBUS, OHIO — Fayette County is one of 22 Ohio counties the U.S. Department of Agriculture has designated as a natural disaster area because of the state’s drought.
The move announced Tuesday by the department’s Farm Service Agency will allow farmers in those 22 counties and 18 neighboring counties to apply for emergency loans from the federal government.
Most Ohio counties are experiencing abnormally dry conditions this summer, with those in the state’s southeast being the hardest hit.
The counties listed in the natural disaster declaration are Athens, Belmont, Fairfield, Fayette, Gallia, Guernsey, Harrison, Highland, Hocking, Jackson, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Morgan, Muskingum, Noble, Perry, Pickaway, Pike, Ross, Vinton and Washington.
The USDA said these counties have had eight or more consecutive weeks of severe drought.
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 deadline for producers in designated primary and contiguous counties to apply for loans is April 28, 2025.
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 eight or more consecutive weeks or 2) D3 Drought-Extreme or D4 Drought-Exceptional.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
