USDA Designates Hampton Roads Localities as Drought Disaster Areas

Farmers in affected counties eligible for emergency USDA assistance

Apr. 14, 2026 at 8:22pm

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A vast, atmospheric landscape painting in muted earth tones, with a cracked, dry ground stretching to the horizon under a hazy, oppressive sky, conveying the overwhelming impact of the drought on the local environment.A sweeping vista captures the scale and severity of the drought crisis gripping Virginia's Hampton Roads region.Suffolk Today

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has designated several counties and cities in Virginia's Hampton Roads region as drought disaster areas, allowing farmers in those localities to apply for emergency loans and other assistance from the USDA Farm Service Agency.

Why it matters

Prolonged drought conditions can devastate crop yields and livestock health, threatening the livelihoods of farmers and the food supply for local communities. The USDA disaster designation unlocks critical federal aid to help farmers in the affected areas recover and prepare for future droughts.

The details

The USDA has designated the following Virginia counties and cities as drought disaster areas: Brunswick, Greensville, Southampton, Arlington, Dinwiddie, Fairfax, Franklin, Grayson, Halifax, Isle of Wight, King George, Loudoun, Lunenberg, Mecklenburg, Nottoway, Prince William, Stafford, Surry, Sussex, Washington, Westmoreland, the City of Alexandria, the City of Emporia, and the City of Suffolk. Farmers in these areas are now eligible to apply for emergency FSA loans and other assistance programs to help offset losses from the drought.

  • The USDA disaster designation was issued on April 14, 2026.
  • Farmers in the affected areas have 8 months from April 14 to apply for emergency loans.

The players

Brooke Rollins

The U.S. Secretary of Agriculture who issued the drought disaster declaration.

USDA Farm Service Agency

The federal agency that will administer emergency assistance programs for farmers in the designated disaster areas.

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What’s next

Farmers in the designated drought disaster areas have until December 14, 2026 to apply for emergency FSA loans and other assistance programs.

The takeaway

This USDA disaster declaration underscores the growing threat of climate change-driven droughts in the Hampton Roads region, and the critical need for federal aid to support local farmers and food security.