5 Tenn. Counties Designated as Agriculture Disaster

Gov. Bill Haslam says U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack has designated 15 counties a natural disaster for agriculture as a result of storms and flooding in April and May.

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 designation allows farmers in primary and adjoining counties to apply for payments to help recover lost income. Other assistance such as low-interest loans and livestock loss assistance may already be available.

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.