USDA Approves Drought Disaster Declaration for USVI, Opening Emergency Loans to Farmers
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has designated St. Croix, St. Thomas and St. John as primary natural disaster areas because of prolonged drought, making eligible Virgin Islands farmers and agricultural producers able to apply for federal emergency loans to recover from qualifying losses.
2026-08-21 20:32:03 - VI News Staff
Governor Albert Bryan Jr., who announced the approval Friday, was notified by USDA on August 20 that the three islands had received the Secretarial drought disaster designation based on conditions documented by the U.S. Drought Monitor. Mr. Bryan formally requested the declaration earlier this month as persistent dry conditions placed increasing pressure on the territory’s agricultural sector, particularly livestock producers.
“Our farmers are essential to our food security, our economy and our way of life, and when they are hurting, we have an obligation to do everything we can to help,” Governor Bryan said. “That is why I asked the Department of Agriculture to issue this declaration, and I am grateful that the federal government responded to our request. This designation gives our farmers another important resource to help them recover from the impacts of this drought and continue doing the work that feeds and sustains our community.”
The disaster designation allows eligible farm operators in the affected areas to apply for emergency loan assistance through the USDA Farm Service Agency. The loans are intended to help agricultural producers recover from qualifying natural-disaster losses and may be used for purposes including replacing essential equipment or livestock, reorganizing farming operations or refinancing certain debts.