USDA Designates 14 Pennsylvania Counties as Natural Disaster Areas for Freeze that Occurred April 20th to May 31st 2026

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.

Impacted Area: Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, New York, Ohio, West Virginia

Triggering Disaster: Freeze

Application Deadline: 04/12/2027

Primary Counties Eligible:

• Pennsylvania: Allegheny, Beaver, Berks, Blair, Butler, Centre, Chester, Clinton, Huntingdon, Jefferson, Lebanon, Luzerne, McKean, Schuylkill

Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:

• Pennsylvania: Armstrong, Bedford, Cambria, Cameron, Carbon, Clarion, Clearfield, Columbia, Dauphin, Delaware, Elk, Forest, Franklin, Fulton, Indiana, Juniata, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lawrence, Lehigh, Lycoming, Mercer, Mifflin, Monroe, Montgomery, Northumberland, Potter, Sullivan, Union, Venango, Warren, Washington, Westmoreland, Wyoming
• Delaware: New Castle
• Maryland: Cecil
• New York: Allegany, Cattaraugus
• Ohio: Columbiana
• West Virginia: Hancock

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.