ANNAPOLIS, MD—Farmers in parts of Maryland who are facing drought conditions due to a lack of rain over the past summer are eligible for federal assistance.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the low-interest loans are available for farmers in Allegany, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Howard, Montgomery, and Washington counties.

“Maryland’s agricultural industry is one of our top economic drivers and supporting our farmers is critical,” Governor Wes Moore said in a statement. “We’re grateful for the partnership we share with USDA in enabling access to low cost loans that will help offset the cost of lost crops and provide another layer of assistance during tough growing seasons.”

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor map, Allegany, Washington, and Garrett counties were among the hardest hit.

Emergency loans are available to replace equipment or livestock, reorganize a farming operation, or refinance certain debts. The loans are available from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Services Agency.

“Though we never want to see farmers go through hardships such as a drought, FSA is fortunate to have drought assistance programs available,” said Farm Services Agency State Executive Director John Sullivan. “We encourage producers to reach out to one of our county service centers for assistance.”

“USDA’s federal programs are beneficial to Maryland farmers who are facing challenging financial situations,” said Maryland Department of Agriculture Secretary Kevin Atticks. “I encourage those who are affected by drought conditions to explore the many options available to help.”

More information about how to apply is available through local county service centers. A list of service centers and locations is available at offices.usda.gov or through the Farm Service Agency’s disaster assistance tools at farmers.gov.

This article was written with the assistance of AI and reviewed by a human editor.

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