Tennessee Flood Relief: Rural Recovery

l a r u R

y r e v o c e R

Much of the focus of the Tennessee flooding that began o

2010, has been on Nashville, but the rural areas of Midd

Tennessee were hit hard as well. So much so, that 52 cou

been authorized a disaster declaration by the federal gov

on May 1,

dle and West

unties have

vernment.

Daniel Cima/American Red Cross

“Here in middle Tennessee, we may have less than we had last week. But the important things – the essential things – still remain. No flood can wash away friendship and the connectedness of life in this close-knit community – it can only polish it to a bright and lasting luster."

– Bernie Ellis, farmer

“Tennessee agriculture and many of our rural com flood that goes beyond our remembrances of histor to be replanted, fences rebuilt, equipment repaired a

461

Number of homes and businesses that were flooded in Dyersburg

www.flickr.com/photos/brent_nashville

Lindsey Ford

mmunities experienced a great loss in this recent rical floods in our lifetimes. Many crops will have and financial difficulties overcome.� – Tennessee Farm Bureau President Lacy Upchurch

Lynette Hall

Monsanto donated $50,000 to the Tennessee Farm Disaster Response Fund and will also aid farmers by providing replacement seed at no cost.

150

Number of volunteers that helped local authorities put down 4,000 sandbags to protect the Evansville community. www.flickr.com/photos/avatar28

Daniel Cima/American Red Cross

“We went from one of the best-looking years of crops we’ve had in a long time [...] to devastation and we’ve now lost 50 percent of our early crops.”

– Hank Delvin, Delvin Farms

The Tennessee Farm Bureau established the Tennessee Farm Disaster Response Fund in 2008. Grants from this fund are directed to farm and rural communities to help rebuild the agricultural infrastructure for those who have incurred substantial damage. Those living in Tennessee counties that have earned presidentially declared disaster status are eligible for help from the fund.

Click here to make a donation to the Tennessee Farm Disaster Response Fund

Daniel Cima/American Red Cross

“The volunteer spirit in Tennessee is alive and well.

The outpouring of help has been awesome across the state, so we’re just waiting on the waters to recede to begin rebuilding, replanting, re-assessing of land.”

– Melissa Burniston, Tennessee Farm Bureau

www.flickr.com/photos/avatar28

online Resources Tennessee Farm Bureau Flood Recovery Efforts

Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA)

Flood Recovery Tips from UT Extension

American Red Cross

Tema/fema disaster recovery centers Cheatham County Pegram City Hall 308 Highway 70 Pegram, TN 37143

Dyer County Dyersburg Mall 2700 Lake Road Dyersburg, TN 38024

Williamson County Franklin City Hall 109 Third Ave. Williamson, TN 37064

Shelby County Millington Civic Center 8077 Wilkinsville Millington, TN 38353

Buy a Poster, Help a Farmer No one will forget the flooding of May 2010 and the rural Tennessee communities affected by it. Show your support for these flood-ravaged areas by purchasing the "Flood the Fields with Hope" poster.

All of the proceeds from the sale of these posters will go directly to the Tennessee Farm Disaster Response Fund, which is associated with the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.

Poster designed by Shane Read, graphic artist for Tennessee Farmers Cooperative This Rural Recovery digital magazine is a joint project of the Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation and Journal Communications, Inc.