Tennessee’s Congressional delegation sent a letter urging House and Senate leaders to provide meaningful federal aid for farmers affected by Hurricane Helene.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Tennessee’s Congressional delegation sent a letter urging House and Senate leaders to provide meaningful federal aid for farmers affected by Hurricane Helene.
Monday’s letter, signed by the entirety of the state’s Congressional delegation, urged Congress “to take swift and thorough action in appropriating critical funding” to meet the agricultural relief demands of states affected by Hurricane Helene, like Tennessee. The letter added that the state received copious amounts of rain and runoff from surrounding states, which acutely affected the agriculture industry.
Last week, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimated that farmers in affected states like North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and others would receive over $233 million in indemnities. However, Tennessee was not included in the USDA’s estimated indemnity payments.
“Now more than ever, the agriculture industry is relying on Congress to step up to the plate and overwhelmingly support the industry that fuels, feeds, and clothes our nation,” the letter added. “Federal agricultural disaster assistance is vital to helping our state and country recover from the unprecedented disaster that has taken so much.”