The U.S. Department of Agriculture has designated several Maryland counties, including St. Mary’s, as primary natural disaster areas due to drought and excessive heat between June and October 2024. Farmers in these areas can apply for emergency loans through the USDA Farm Service Agency to aid in recovery efforts, with a deadline of September 15, 2025. St. Mary’s County is committed to supporting its agricultural community through these resources. Other eligible counties include Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Calvert, Charles, Dorchester, Harford, and Prince George’s. Neighboring states are also eligible for assistance. Farmers can visit www.farmers.gov for more information and use tools such as the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool and Loan Assistance Tool. In addition to the natural disaster designation, firefighters in St. Mary’s County, Charles, and Calvert County responded to numerous large fires in wooded areas between October and November 2024, during a statewide burn ban. For more details on USDA emergency loans, visit www.fsa.usda.gov/resources/programs/emergency-farm-loans.
Note: The image is for illustrative purposes only and is not the original image associated with the presented article. Due to copyright reasons, we are unable to use the original images. However, you can still enjoy the accurate and up-to-date content and information provided.
