Tennessee Delegation Seeks Agricultural Disaster Declaration
July 12, 2007

WASHINGTON -- Both Tennessee senators and eight of nine of the state's congressmen today asked Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns for another declaration of an agricultural disaster -- this time because of the ongoing effects of the drought.

In April, the same group of lawmakers asked Johanns to declare an agriculture disaster in all 95 counties because of the effects of a freak April freeze that destroyed the fruit crop and many other crops planted in the fields.

Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen last week sought a second declaration of agricultural emergency for what he called "one of the worst droughts on record."

In their letter to Johanns Thursday, the lawmakers said the Tennessee Valley Authority has found that the five-month period between January and May was the driest in 118 years. They said whole herds of cattle have been sold off for lack of hay in the fields.

The letter was signed by Republican Sens. Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker, and U.S. Reps. Steve Cohen and John Tanner, both D-Tenn., Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., Bart Gordon, D-Tenn., John Duncan, R-Tenn., David Davis, R-Tenn., Lincoln Davis, D-Tenn., and Zach Wamp, R-Tenn. U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper did not sign today's letter and did not sign the April letter seeking assistance after the freeze, saying at that time through a spokesman that he needed more information. The spokesman, John Spragens, had no immediate response when asked about today's letter.