Virginia Department
of Forestry

The USDA has partnered with states – including Virginia – to provide much-needed assistance with agriculture and timber losses due to last fall’s devastating Hurricane Helene.

VDACS is administering the grant and applications.

DOF will work closely with VDACS regarding timber losses. VDACS and VCE are working on agricultural losses.

Eligibility is based on these factors:

1. Private forestland owner or owners of timber rights at the time of Hurricane Helene.
2. The land must have had existing tree cover immediately before Hurricane Helene.
3. The land must be suitable for growing trees.
4. The land must include a minimum of 10 contiguous acres under the same ownership, of which timber damage occurred on at least one acre.

Payment from the Block Grant can be used any way the owner likes. Owners may consider investing some of this toward improvement or rehabilitation of the woods on the property, but there is no requirement to do so. Your local DOF forester can provide recommendations and assistance with this.

Payment levels will depend on the amount and severity of loss and on the number of applications received in comparison with the total available grant funds allotted to Virginia.

Funds received from the Virginia Farm Recovery Block Grant are taxable. There are no federal or state exemptions from taxes being paid on Virginia Farm Recovery Block Grant funds. This funding should be treated as taxable income. Recipients will receive a 1099 for any funds paid under the grant program. Applicants will be required to complete a Form W-9 for 1099 reporting purposes.

Applying for a Block Grant should not impact your ability to apply to other state or federal forestry grant, cost-share or incentive programs. The Block Grant is a payment to landowners to help them recover a portion of their lost timber crop value as a result of Hurricane Helene.

If you are applying to another grant program for reforestation/restoration activities, such as the Farm Service Agency Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP), there would not be a duplication of benefits because EFRP pays for reforestation/restoration while the Block Grant pays for timber crop loss.

Rules for agricultural losses may be different. Applicants are encouraged to seek additional advice from VDACS regarding farm programs.

Apply through the VDACS website.

Applications will be accepted from September 22 through November 6, 2025 at midnight.

You will be asked for basic ownership information including the tract location and county tax map parcel, as well as some basic documentation of loss (estimated acres, photographs).

A landowner may present a timber loss inventory to VDACS if it is prepared by a private professional forester.

Your local DOF forester can provide general information about the program as well as forest management recommendations to improve your forest for the future.

However, DOF will not be able to provide you with specific details regarding your application. For more information about your application, contact VDACS.

VDACS will make sure you’ve submitted the necessary information. VDACS will send the application to the Department of Forestry. Using available information from satellite imagery, soils data, regional average timber volume and values, DOF will prepare a damage estimate. Based on this, DOF-contracted private foresters or DOF staff will verify or spot check some sites. Private foresters or DOF staff will seek to notify landowner before a site visit. There is no cost for this estimate/verification.

Alternatively, a landowner may submit a timber loss inventory to VDACS if it is prepared by a private professional forester (cost borne by landowner). Payment level will depend on severity of loss and the number and amount of applications.

For Virginia Farm Recovery Block Grant program details, eligibility criteria or general questions, contact VDACS.