ATLANTA, Sept. 19, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Small Business Administration is reminding small businesses that Oct. 17 is the filing deadline for federal economic injury disaster loans available in Tennessee because of drought and excessive heat that began on June 1, 2010.

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The SBA's disaster declaration includes the following counties: Anderson, Bedford, Benton, Bledsoe, Campbell, Cannon, Carroll, Carter, Cheatham, Clay, Coffee, Crockett, Cumberland, Davidson, Decatur, DeKalb, Dickson, Dyer, Fayette, Fentress, Franklin, Gibson, Giles, Grundy, Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, Henry, Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Jackson, Johnson, Lake, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Maury, Montgomery, Moore, Morgan, Obion, Overton, Perry, Pickett, Putnam, Rhea, Roane, Robertson, Rutherford, Sequatchie, Scott, Shelby, Smith, Stewart, Sullivan, Sumner, Tipton, Trousdale, Van Buren, Warren, Wayne, Weakley, White, Wilson and Williamson in Tennessee; Crittenden County in Arkansas; New Madrid and Pemiscot counties in Missouri.  

"When the Secretary of Agriculture issues a disaster declaration to help farmers recover from damages and losses to crops, the Small Business Administration issues a declaration to eligible entities affected by the same disaster," said Frank Skaggs, director of SBA's Field Operations Center East in Atlanta.

Under this declaration, the SBA's Economic Injury Disaster Loan program is available to eligible farm-related and nonfarm-related entities that suffered financial losses as a direct result of this disaster.  With the exception of aquacultural enterprises, agricultural producers, farmers and ranchers are not eligible to apply to SBA, but nurseries are eligible to apply for EIDLs for losses caused by drought conditions.

The loan amount can be up to $2 million with a 4 percent interest rate for eligible small businesses and 3 percent for non-profit organizations and terms up to 30 years.  The SBA determines eligibility based on the size of the applicant, type of activity and its financial resources.  Loan amounts and terms are set by the SBA and are based on each applicant's financial condition.  These working capital loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills that could have been paid had the disaster not occurred.  The loans are not intended to replace lost sales or profits.

Disaster loan information and application forms may be obtained by calling the SBA's Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing) Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to  5:30 p.m. ET or by sending an email to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.  Loan applications can be downloaded from the SBA's website at www.sba.gov. Completed applications should be mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.  

Those affected by the disaster may also apply for loans electronically from SBA's website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/.  

Completed loan applications must be returned to SBA no later than October 17, 2011.

For more information about the SBA's Disaster Loan Program, visit our website at www.sba.gov.

Release Number: 11-730 TN 12470

Contact: Michael Lampton
Phone: 404-331-0333

SOURCE U.S. Small Business Administration

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