USDA Designates Eight Washington Counties as Primary Natural Disaster Areas

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.

According to theU.S. Drought Monitor, these counties suffered from a drought intensity value during the growing season of 1) D2 Drought-Severe for 8 or more consecutive weeks or 2) D3 Drought-Extreme or D4 Drought-Exceptional.

Triggering Disaster #1
Impacted Area: Washington, Oregon
Triggering Disaster: Drought
Application Deadline: 08/31/2026
Primary Counties Eligible:

• Washington: Benton, Kitsap

Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:

• Washington: Franklin, Grant, Island, Jefferson, King, Klickitat, Mason, Pierce, Snohomish, Walla Walla, Yakima
• Oregon: Morrow, Umatilla

Triggering Disaster #2
Impacted Area: Washington, Oregon
Triggering Disaster: Drought
Application Deadline: 05/26/2026
Primary Counties Eligible:

• Washington: Clallam, Jefferson, Klickitat

Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:

• Washington: Benton, Grays Harbor, Island, Kitsap, Mason, Skamania, Yakima
• Oregon: Gilliam, Hood River, Morrow, Sherman, Wasco

Triggering Disaster #3
Impacted Area: Oregon, Washington
Triggering Disaster: Drought
Application Deadline: 05/22/2026
Primary Counties Eligible:

• Oregon: Hood River, Wasco

Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:

• Oregon: Clackamas, Gilliam, Jefferson, Marion, Multnomah, Sherman, Wheeler
• Washington: Klickitat, Skamania

Triggering Disaster #4
Impacted Area: Washington, Oregon
Triggering Disaster: Drought
Application Deadline: 05/04/2026
Primary Counties Eligible:

• Washington: Clark, Cowlitz, Skamania

Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:

• Washington: Klickitat, Lewis, Wahkiakum, Yakima
• Oregon: Columbia, Hood River, Multnomah

Triggering Disaster #5
Impacted Area: Oregon, Washington, Idaho
Triggering Disaster: Drought
Application Deadline: 05/04/2026
Primary Counties Eligible:

• Oregon: Baker, Clackamas, Linn, Marion, Multnomah

Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:

• Oregon: Benton, Columbia, Deschutes, Grant, Hood River, Jefferson, Lane, Malheur, Polk, Union, Wallowa, Wasco, Washington, Yamhill
• Washington: Clark, Skamania
• Idaho: Adams, Washington

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.

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