U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack has approved Governor Phil Scott’s request for a Secretarial Disaster Designation for six Vermont counties in response to this July’s rain and flooding events. Caledonia, Essex, Orange, Chittenden, Lamoille and Washington counties were recognized as part of the declaration.

This Secretarial disaster designation from USDA makes farm operators across Vermont eligible to be considered for Farm Service Agency (FSA) emergency loans, provided eligibility requirements are met. Farmers in eligible counties have eight months from the date of a Secretarial disaster declaration to apply for emergency loans.

“The USDA reviewed the Loss Assessment Reports and determined that there were sufficient production losses to warrant a Secretarial natural disaster designation; therefore, I am designating all six Vermont counties as primary natural disaster areas,” Secretary Vilsack wrote to Governor Scott.

The USDA Disaster Declaration will also enable non-industrial forest property owners to apply for financial support to restore damaged properties through the USDA Farm Service Agency’s Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP). The program provides a 75% cost share to property owners to cover costs associated with restoring forest lands where the damage from the storm event would either harm the natural resources on the land or significantly affect future land use if left in a damaged state. EFRP projects can include debris removal to help establish a new stand or provide for natural regeneration and forestland road repair or erosion control structures. For more information, visit: www.fpr.vermont.gov/forest-flood-resources .

“Alongside many of their neighbors, our farmers have been greatly impacted by the floods this summer, threatening their livelihoods and our food system,” said Governor Scott. “I’m grateful to Secretary Vilsack for this disaster declaration, on the heels of the 2023 declaration, which will help farmers recover and provide some additional support through the many challenges they’ve faced.”

According to a survey conducted by the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets and the Vermont Agriculture Recovery Task Force, over 3,000 acres of farmland and 89 farms, sustained nearly $5 million in damage and impacts. This comes on the heels of a widespread frost and weather event in 2023, emphasizing the difficult challenges that Vermont’s farmers face with potential extreme weather each year.

“I want to thank Secretary Vilsack for this second declaration,” said Vermont Agriculture Secretary Anson Tebbetts. “With nearly $5 million in farmer-reported flood related damage and losses, and severe impacts from multiple storm related events this past July, our farming community has faced another gut-punch this year that some may not survive following last year’s severe weather and flooding. This designation can provide another lifeline to these important farm and food businesses with resources as we try to keep our local food systems sustainable and viable.”

Information about USDA’s disaster assistance programs is available at www.farmers.gov/recover. Producers interested in these programs are encouraged to contact their local USDA service center.

• To find the nearest service center, go to the “Find your Local Service Center” tool at www.farmers.gov.
• Read Secretary Vilsack’s Full Letter
• VAAFM 2024 Flood Loss and Damage Survey Dashboard