USDA Designates 20 Tennessee Counties as Primary Natural Disaster Areas

This Secretarial natural disaster designation allows the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters through emergency loans. Emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs including the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation, or to refinance certain debts. FSA will review the loans based on the extent of losses, security available, and repayment ability.

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, these counties suffered from a drought intensity value during the growing season of 1) D2 Drought-Severe for 8 or more consecutive weeks or 2) D3 Drought-Extreme or D4 Drought-Exceptional.

Impacted Area: Tennessee

Triggering Disaster: Drought (Fast-track)

Application Deadline: 7/1/2024

Primary Counties Eligible: Bledsoe, Bradley, Chester, Decatur, Franklin, Grundy, Hamilton, Hardin, Henderson, Lawrence, McMinn, McNairy, Marion, Meigs, Perry, Rhea, Sequatchie, Van Buren, Warren, Wayne         

Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:

Alabama: Jackson, Lauderdale, Madison

Georgia: Catoosa, Dade, Murray, Walker, Whitfield

Mississippi: Alcorn, Tishomingo

Tennessee: Benton, Cannon, Carroll, Coffee, Cumberland, Dekalb, Giles, Hardeman, Hickman, Humphreys, Lewis, Lincoln, Loudon, Madison, Maury, Monroe, Moore, Polk, Roane, White

Impacted Area: Alabama

Triggering Disaster 2: Drought (Fast Track)

Application Deadline: 7/1/2024

Primary Counties Eligible: Butler, Cherokee. Colbert, Cullman, DeKalb, Franklin, Jackson, Lauderdale, Madison, Marshall, Morgan

Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:

Alabama: Blount, Calhoun, Cleburn, Conecuh, Covington, Crenshaw, Etowah, Lawrence, Limestone, Lowndes, Marion, Monroe, Walker, Wilcox, Winston

Georgia: Chattooga, Dade, Floyd, Polk, Walker

Mississippi: Itawamba, Tishomingo

Tennessee: Franklin, Giles, Hardin, Lawrence, Lincoln, Marion, Wayne

Impacted Area: Georgia

Triggering Disaster: Drought (Fast-track)

Application Deadline: 7/1/2024

Primary Counties Eligible: Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Walker

Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:

Alabama: Cherokee, DeKalb, Jackson

Georgia: Floyd, Gordon, Whitfield

Tennessee: Hamilton, Marion

Impacted Area: Mississippi

Triggering Disaster: Drought (Fast-track)

Application Deadline: 7/1/2024

Primary Counties Eligible: Alcorn, Itawamba, Marshall, Prentiss, Tate, Tishomingo

Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:

Alabama: Colbert, Franklin, Lauderdale, Marion

Mississippi: Benton, DeSoto, Lafayette, Lee, Monroe, Panola, Tippah, Tunica, Union

Tennessee: Fayette, Hardeman, Hardin, McNairy, Shelby

More Resources

On farmers.gov, the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster Assistance-at-a-Glance fact sheet, and Loan Assistance Tool can help you determine program or loan options. To file a Notice of Loss or to ask questions about available programs, contact your local USDA Service Center.