DUANE SHERRILLEditor

Coffee County is amongst several counties that can take advantage of low interest disaster loans in connection with a severe drought that left the area parched and crops and livestock in peril late last year and during the early portion of 2025.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is now reminding small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Tennessee of the Nov. 25 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by the drought that began on Nov. 15, 2024.

The disaster declaration covers the Tennessee counties of Anderson, Bedford, Bledsoe, Blount, Bradley, Campbell, Cannon, Cheatham, Claiborne, Clay, Coffee, Cumberland, Davidson, DeKalb, Dickson, Fentress, Franklin, Giles, Grainger, Grundy, Hamilton, Hickman, Jackson, Jefferson, Knox, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Loudon, Marion, Marshall, Maury, McMinn, Meigs, Monroe, Moore, Morgan, Overton, Pickett, Polk, Putnam, Rhea, Roane, Rutherford, Scott, Sequatchie, Sevier, Smith, Union, Van Buren, Warren, Wayne, White, Williamson and Wilson, the Alabama counties of Jackson, Lauderdale, Limestone and Madison, the Georgia counties of Catoosa, Dade, Fannin, Murray, Walker and Whitfield, the Kentucky counties of McCreary, Wayne and Whitley as well as the North Carolina counties of Cherokee and Graham.

Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and PNPs with financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.

EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the small business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster.

“Through a declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, SBA provides critical financial assistance to help communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “We’re pleased to offer loans to small businesses and private nonprofits impacted by these disasters.”

For more info Phone: 800-659-2955 or Email: disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. You may also go to https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/disaster-assistance/economic-injury-disaster-loans.