Federal Disaster Aid Sought for Farms in 5 Tennessee Counties

Several members of the Tennessee congressional delegation have joined Gov. Phil Bredesen in requesting federal disaster declaration for five Tennessee counties.

U.S. Senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker and U.S. representatives Lincoln Davis, Bart Gordon and Marsha Blackburn made the request last week to help farmers suffering crop losses and damage to equipment as a result of excessive rain and flooding in May.

The five counties are Bedford, Hickman, Lewis, Moore and Perry.

According to their letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, a declaration would allow qualifying farmers to apply for federal farm disaster programs through their local U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency office.