USDA Designates 10 New Jersey Counties as Natural Disaster Areas for Drought

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: New Jersey

Triggering Disaster: Drought from April 28, 2026 on going

Application Deadline: May 10, 2027

Primary Counties Eligible:

• New Jersey: Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Ocean, Salem

Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:

• New Jersey: Mercer, Monmouth
• Delaware: Kent, New Castle
• Pennsylvania: Bucks, Delaware, Philadelphia

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.