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16 Counties receive Fed assistance due to flooding
Primary disaster designation requested for Sevier County
Governor Phil Bredesen announced the U.S. Department of
Agriculture has approved his request for federal farm assistance for
16 Tennessee counties due to excessive rain and flooding that
occurred in September and October.
The request was made in a Nov. 23 letter to U.S. Secretary of
Agriculture Tom Vilsack. The 16 counties designated as primary
natural disaster areas include: Bradley, Chester, Cumberland,
Hamilton, Hardeman, Lauderdale, Macon, McMinn, McNairy, Meigs,
Polk, Rhea, Shelby, Smith, Trousdale and Wilson.
Last Friday, Bredesen additionally requested primary disaster
designation for five more East and Middle Tennessee counties.
Those counties include: Claiborne, Cocke, Rutherford, Sevier and
Union.
Although USDA is projecting significantly higher yields for most major
Tennessee crops as compared to the previous two drought years, the
heavy rains have hurt both crop yields and quality because of rotting,
mold and other disease problems. Farmers have also reported losses
for hay, pumpkins and other specialty crops.
“Farming is challenging enough without the added uncertainty of
weather. This disaster designation will be important for helping
farmers who have experienced significant crop losses this year due to
heavy rains,” said Bredesen. “I’m pleased that USDA has responded
so promptly to my request.”
Primary disaster designation requested for Sevier County
Governor Phil Bredesen announced the U.S. Department of
Agriculture has approved his request for federal farm assistance for
16 Tennessee counties due to excessive rain and flooding that
occurred in September and October.
The request was made in a Nov. 23 letter to U.S. Secretary of
Agriculture Tom Vilsack. The 16 counties designated as primary
natural disaster areas include: Bradley, Chester, Cumberland,
Hamilton, Hardeman, Lauderdale, Macon, McMinn, McNairy, Meigs,
Polk, Rhea, Shelby, Smith, Trousdale and Wilson.
Last Friday, Bredesen additionally requested primary disaster
designation for five more East and Middle Tennessee counties.
Those counties include: Claiborne, Cocke, Rutherford, Sevier and
Union.
Although USDA is projecting significantly higher yields for most major
Tennessee crops as compared to the previous two drought years, the
heavy rains have hurt both crop yields and quality because of rotting,
mold and other disease problems. Farmers have also reported losses
for hay, pumpkins and other specialty crops.
“Farming is challenging enough without the added uncertainty of
weather. This disaster designation will be important for helping
farmers who have experienced significant crop losses this year due to
heavy rains,” said Bredesen. “I’m pleased that USDA has responded
so promptly to my request.”