Bredesen Announces Federal Farm Assistance for 13 Counties

19 Adjoining Counties Also Eligible for Assistance

NASHVILLE – Governor Phil Bredesen today announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved his request for federal farm assistance for 13 counties in west and middle Tennessee due to losses caused by heavy and historic rainfall and subsequent flooding that began on April 30, 2010. Nineteen adjoining counties are also eligible for assistance.

Bredesen made the request to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack on May 24. The 13 counties designated as primary natural disaster areas include Benton, Chester, Dickson, Fayette, Hardeman, Hickman, Humphreys, Lauderdale, Lewis, Maury, McNairy, Perry and Stewart.

“This designation will help bring more federal assistance to farmers who experienced significant crop and livestock losses and damage to farm infrastructure as a result of the storms and flooding,” said Bredesen. “I’m pleased that USDA has responded so promptly to my request and hope it will help lessen the impact to our farmers and rural communities hit hard by this catastrophe.”

Also qualifying as adjoining disaster counties are: Carroll, Cheatham, Crockett, Decatur, Dyer, Giles, Hardin, Haywood, Henderson, Henry, Houston, Lawrence, Madison, Marshall, Montgomery, Shelby, Tipton, Wayne and Williamson.

The designation makes farm operators in both the primary and adjoining counties eligible to be considered for assistance, including emergency loans and supplemental farm payments, through their local USDA Farm Service Agency. Farmers in eligible counties have eight months from the date of the Secretarial designation to apply for emergency loan assistance.

“Although corn was certainly impacted and may not be replanted in some cases, only a small portion of soybeans and cotton were planted at the time of the flooding. Crop losses could have been a lot worse,” said Tennessee Department of Agriculture Commissioner Ken Givens. “Damages to farm infrastructure and access to the rail system in west Tennessee has impacted the agricultural community tremendously.”

According to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Tennessee farmers reported moderate to severe damage to 39 percent of the state’s corn crop and 21 percent of winter wheat. Damage to fruit and vegetable crops and nursery stock have also been reported as well as significant damage to farm infrastructure including access roads, levees, fences, conservation practices, buildings and equipment.  

For the latest crop forecast and 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 each Monday at 3 p.m., April through November. 

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