US approves drought disaster declaration for Puerto Rico agriculture

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved a federal drought disaster declaration for Puerto Rico, a move that unlocks emergency assistance for farmers in 26 of the island's 78 municipalities, mostly in the south and west. Governor Jenniffer González announced the approval on Wednesday, saying it will give affected producers access to USDA and Farm Service Agency (FSA) programs, including emergency loans for essential property replacement and production costs Source: infobae. The declaration follows a request González made more than two weeks ago, and she had urged the USDA to expedite designations for municipalities already meeting federal thresholds, without waiting for loss calculations to be completed Source: hoydo.

Drought severity

According to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor report, 62% of Puerto Rico is experiencing severe drought, with 33% reaching extreme levels Source: diariolibree. July was the driest month on record for San Juan in over 120 years, and the second hottest Source: hoydo. The drought has prompted the government to declare a state of emergency island-wide on July 31 and impose 48-hour water rationing in seven municipalities, including San Juan, due to critically low levels at the Carraízo reservoir Source: infobae.

Regional context

The USDA also declared a natural disaster zone for the U.S. Virgin Islands due to prolonged drought Source: infobae. Meanwhile, the Dominican Republic is facing similar concerns, with authorities warning of a prolonged precipitation deficit since May and an increased risk of meteorological drought in the second half of 2026. May ended with a national rainfall deficit of 46% Source: diariolibree.

What's next

Puerto Rico's Agriculture Secretary, Irving Rodríguez, urged affected producers to document their losses to access the aid Source: hoydo. The declaration is seen as a crucial step to help farmers cope with the ongoing crisis, though the drought is expected to persist in the near term.