USDA Designates 26 Florida Counties as Natural Disaster Areas Due to Winter Storm

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. 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.

Triggering Disaster #1

Impacted Area: Florida and Georgia

Triggering Disaster: Freeze and frost that occurred Jan. 23, 2026, through Feb. 5, 2026.

Application Deadline: Nov. 4, 2026

Primary Counties Eligible:

• Florida: Dixie, Gilchrist, Glades, Hendry, Highlands, Jefferson, Leon, Levy, Madison, Martin, Okeechobee, and Putnam

Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:

• Florida: Alachua, Bradford, Broward, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, DeSoto, Flagler, Gadsden, Hamilton, Hardee, Indian River, Lafayette, Lee, Liberty, Marion, Osceola, Palm Beach, Polk, St. Johns, St. Lucie, Suwannee, Taylor, Volusia, and Wakulla

• Georgia: Brooks, Grady, Lowndes, and Thomas

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Triggering Disaster #2

Impacted Area: Florida

Triggering Disaster: Freeze, frost, and high winds that occurred Jan. 23, 2026, through Feb. 5, 2026.

Application Deadline: Nov. 4, 2026

Primary Counties Eligible:

• Florida: Alachua, Bradford, Charlotte, and Collier

Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:

• Florida: Baker, Broward, Clay, Columbia, DeSoto, Gilchrist, Glades, Hendry, Highlands, Lee, Levy, Marion, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Putnam, Sarasota and Union

Triggering Disaster #3

Impacted Area: Florida

Triggering Disaster: Freeze, frost, ice and high winds that occurred Jan. 23, 2026, through Feb. 5, 2026.

Application Deadline: Nov. 4, 2026

Primary Counties Eligible:

• Florida: Broward, Palm Beach and Sumter

Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:

• Florida: Citrus, Collier, Glades, Hendry, Hernando, Lake, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Okeechobee, Pasco and Polk

Triggering Disaster #4

Impacted Area: Florida

Triggering Disaster: Freeze that occurred Jan. 23, 2026, through Feb. 5, 2026.

Application Deadline: Nov. 4, 2026

Primary County Eligible:

• Florida: Taylor

Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:

• Florida: Dixie, Jefferson, Lafayette and Madison

Triggering Disaster #5

Impacted Area: Florida, Alabama and Georgia

Triggering Disaster: Freeze, frost and ice that occurred Jan. 23, 2026 through Feb. 5, 2026.

Application Deadline: Nov. 4, 2026

Primary Counties Eligible:

• Florida: Citrus, Hernando, Indian River, Jackson, Pasco and St. Lucie

Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:

• Florida: Bay, Brevard, Calhoun, Gadsden, Hillsborough, Holmes, Levy, Liberty, Marion, Martin, Okeechobee, Osceola, Pinellas, Polk, Sumter and Washington

• Alabama: Geneva and Houston

• Georgia: Seminole

More Resources

On farmers.gov, the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster Assistance-at-a-Glance fact sheet, and Loan Assistance Tool can help you determine program or loan options. To file a Notice of Loss or to ask questions about available programs, contact your local USDA Service Center.