Drought disaster designations expand across US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico

The USDA has issued secretarial drought disaster designations expanding access to emergency loans for farmers across the US Virgin Islands, with primary areas including St. Croix, St. Thomas, and St. John able to apply for loans up to $500,000 to replace equipment or livestock, reorganize operations, or refinance debts. Puerto Rico has secured a drought disaster declaration, activating a Fast-Track process to provide additional USDA and Farm Service Agency assistance to agricultural producers affected by prolonged drought. The declarations come as extreme and severe drought conditions persist across Puerto Rico, with substantial rainfall deficits and impacts on crops and livestock, including fruit, cacao, coffee, plantains, bananas, and pasture for livestock. The designation in Puerto Rico covers 26 of its 78 municipalities, underscoring the broad reach of the drought’s effects and the need for relief measures. Officials emphasized the urgency of documenting losses and leveraging federal tools to support farmers as drought conditions continue. These actions reflect coordinated federal and territorial responses to drought, aimed at sustaining agricultural production and the local economy.