Agriculture Disaster Declaration
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On Tuesday, Governor Bill Haslam announced U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack has designated 15 counties a natural disaster for agriculture due to severe storms and flooding in April and May. Gov. Haslam made the request for a secretarial designation earlier this month. Counties designated as primary natural disaster areas include Dyer, Giles, Greene, Hancock, Hardeman, Hardin, Hawkins, Henderson, Knox, Lake, Madison, Obion, Shelby, Tipton and Washington. The secretarial disaster designation also allows farmers in adjoining counties to apply for the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments Program to help recover lost income. Other assistance such as low-interest loans and livestock loss assistance may already be available through local USDA Farm Service Agency offices. Adjoining counties where farmers can also apply for assistance include Anderson, Blount, Carroll, Carter, Chester, Claiborne, Cocke, Crockett, Decatur, Fayette, Gibson, Grainger, Hamblen, Haywood, Jefferson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Lincoln, Loudon, Marshall, Maury, McNairy, Roane, Sevier, Sullivan, Unicoi, Union, Wayne and Weakley. Farmers in affected counties reported crop losses ranging from 30 to 60 percent, and higher in some cases, primarily for corn and wheat, but also for hay, pastures and specialty crops such as fruits and vegetables and nursery stock. Farmers also reported widespread debris, livestock losses and extensive damage to buildings, equipment and conservation structures.
