The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency has declared 20 West Virginia counties as Natural Disaster Areas due to ongoing drought conditions, according to a press release. Included are Calhoun, Gilmer, Jackson, Kanawha, Mason, Putnam, Roane and Wirt counties as “primary counties” and Boone, Braxton, Cabell, Clay, Doddridge, Fayette, Lewis, Lincoln, Nicholas, Raleigh, Ritchie and Wood counties as “contiguous counties.” This allows the USDA’s Farm Service Agency to extend emergency credit to farm operators in primary and contiguous counties through FSA emergency loan assistance. For information visit fsa.usda.gov