Bredesen Requests Federal Agricultural Disaster Designation for 11 Additional Counties Due to Drought
Tuesday, October 07, 2008 | 07:00pm
NASHVILLE - Governor Phil Bredesen today requested a federal designation of agricultural disaster for 11 additional counties in Tennessee to help farmers who have suffered crop and livestock losses as a result of persistent drought conditions.
A designation from USDA would allow qualifying farmers to receive federal farm disaster assistance that could help them manage losses and plan for next year. Bredesen made the request in a letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer.
“The lingering drought conditions in these areas have caused farmers to suffer two and sometimes three years in a row of difficult growing seasons,” said Bredesen. “This type of long-term impact to agriculture makes it doubly hard for farmers to keep farming and make ends meet. We want to ensure Tennessee farmers have access to any assistance that will help them manage through this agricultural disaster.”
The 11 counties include Benton, Carroll, Claiborne, Hamilton, Hancock, Hawkins, Lauderdale, Rhea, Smith, Union and Wilson.
Bredesen also requested a disaster designation for Henry County farmers last week as a result of wind damage to crops and farm structures that occurred on Sept. 14 in the wake of Hurricane Ike.
Bredesen’s requests are in addition to one made last month for 28 counties due to drought. A decision by USDA is still pending.
Farmers in these counties have reported crop losses, as much as 35 to 70 percent, due to below normal rainfall, low water levels and a cumulative rainfall deficit that has carried over from last year. In some areas the rainfall deficit for the year is 14 inches or more with two-thirds of the state under a severe or extreme drought as rated by the U.S. Drought Monitor. The lack of rainfall has affected major crops including corn, soybeans, tobacco and hay, as well as some nursery and fruit and vegetable crops.
Agriculture officials are expecting late season hay production to be significantly reduced. The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service this week rated more than half of the state’s pastures as in very poor to poor condition. Livestock producers are having to reducing herds and feed winter stocks of hay to supplement grazing.
According to state Agriculture Commissioner Ken Givens, other counties are expected to request federal agricultural assistance in the coming days.
“We know that many farmers are struggling from persistent drought conditions. We’re prepared to work with our federal partners to make sure that Tennessee farmers have access to much needed federal assistance,” said Givens
Once a county is approved, eligible farmers can apply for a variety of federal farm disaster programs including supplemental farm revenue payments, livestock assistance and low-interest emergency loans through their local USDA Farm Service Agency office.
For livestock producers wanting to buy or sell hay, the Department of Agriculture and Tennessee Farm Bureau cooperatively manage the Tennessee Hay Directory. A listing of local and out-of-state sources of hay can be found online at www.picktnproducts.org.
For a weekly report on crop conditions across the state, visit www.nass.usda.gov/tn. The U.S. Department of Agriculture makes this report available every Monday after 3 p.m. CDT.