Virginia has become the first state in the nation to roll out the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Recovery Block Grant Program, providing direct financial assistance to farmers and timber landowners affected by Hurricane Helene.
The program officially opened for applications Monday, Sept. 22, 2025, offering $60.9 million in disaster aid to eligible producers in 27 designated localities across Southwest and Southside Virginia.
Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Matthew Lohr said the grant fills gaps left by previous disaster programs.
“There have been a lot of different disaster programs that USDA has provided for farmers and forest landowners over the last year, but there were still areas that kind of fell through the cracks that were not covered under previous emergency programs,” Lohr said.
The block grant covers losses not previously eligible for aid, including timber damage, farm structures like barns and roads, aquaculture, and market losses for crops that could not be sold due to disrupted supply chains. Lohr gave the example of pumpkin growers who harvested crops but lost their market when a key hub in North Carolina was devastated.
“There’s no cap on the individual amounts a producer can get,” Lohr said. “The goal is to help get them back on their feet.”
Lohr emphasized agriculture and forestry’s critical role in Virginia’s economy, with a combined annual impact exceeding $100 billion.
“It’s a tough time for farmers and agriculture,” he said. “Several years of drought, flooding last year, and low commodity prices have made operations challenging. This funding won’t make anyone whole, but it should provide some assistance to help them with their operations and hopefully get them ready for the next growing season.”
Lohr says the department started work on the program soon after Helene hit.
“All of that just takes a lot of time. But again, it’s very important that we can get these funds to our landowners and our farmers as soon as possible, because it’s been a year now. And for many operations, this money will be extremely valuable for their operations,” he said.
The application process is online through the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) website, with a 45-day sign-up period ending Nov. 6. Cooperative Extension agents are available to assist farmers with applications, including paper copies for those without internet access.
VDACS will host a virtual training session on Wednesday, Sept. 24, at 5:30 p.m. to guide applicants through the program.
The block grant program requires applicants receiving certain types of losses to maintain USDA Risk Management coverage for two crop years.
For more information or assistance, applicants can visit www.vdacs.virginia.gov/about-farm-recovery-block-grant.shtml or call (833) 469-5037.