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State Representatives Dennis Powers and Gary Hicks made a special visit to Harrogate on Saturday for a cookout honoring Claiborne County Farmers Helping Farmers.

Due to rainy weather the event was moved from Harrogate City Park to Cumberland Gap High School.

Powers and Hicks made a special presentation of House Joint Resolution 0257, which honored and commended the Farmers Helping Farmers initiative for their remarkable efforts in assisting fellow farmers in East Tennessee. The resolution passed unanimously in both the House and the Senate. Co-Sponsor State Sen. Jessie Seal had planned to attend but was under the weather on Saturday.

Dan Pearman started the Farmers Helping Farmers initiative with a heartfelt post to the farmers in Cocke and Greene counties who were hit with devastating flooding in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene last September.

The farmers in Claiborne County responded by organizing their efforts to gather hay and supplies for the farmers in Greene and Cocke counties. They lined up approximately 500 rolls of hay and a significant amount of feed and other essentials. A convoy of about 15 trucks loaded with supplies pulled out from Mays’ Loadout Barn on Highway 63 and headed to Cocke County, with the commitment that this would not be the last convoy and that future efforts would focus on Greene County as well.

According to the resolution, a total of over 130 loads of donated hay, feed, and other supplies were provided to the affected farmers, demonstrating the power of community and collective effort. The Farmers Helping Farmers initiative to assist recovery efforts in East Tennessee after Hurricane Helene involved some 125 people in Cocke County, 190 people in

Greene County, and 140 people in Unicoi County.

“WHEREAS, the actions of Dan Pearman and the Farmers Helping Farmers initiative

stand as a testament to the power of dedication, compassion, and leadership, and they are

wholly deserving of the respect and admiration of this General Assembly; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED

FOURTEENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE, THE SENATE

CONCURRING, that we honor and commend the Farmers Helping Farmers initiative and Dan

Pearman for their outstanding efforts in assisting fellow farmers in East Tennessee and extend

to them our best wishes for continued success in all their future endeavors.”

The resolution was signed by Gov. Bill Lee on March 12, 2025.

“These gentlemen took on the task of presenting this to the State Legislature because of what you guys did as part of the Farmers Helping Farmers program,” Pearman told the farmers in attendance. “What you guys did was pretty unusual, probably unheard of, so they wanted to give you some recognition and that’s why they’re here today. Thank you so much for all that you did, I could never put it in words. I feel it was something that had divine intervention, that’s all I can say.

“Everyone took part, everyone volunteered and there was not one cross word out of anybody. Like I just told somebody, if you put three farmers together they can’t agree on anything. That’s just the nature of being an independent person. But you guys worked together and pulled it off without a hitch and it’s something that I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”

A moment was silence was held in memory of Rick McMurray, a farmer who helped with the relief efforts who passed away in April.

The resolution will be framed and hung where it could be seen, likely at Hickory Corner Market.

Powers said it was an honor to represent half of Claiborne County.

“I’m very familiar with farming, my grandfather grew up on a farm and that’s all he did all his life,” he said. “It is hard work, it’s daylight to dark and we know that. So you putting in that extra effort over and above what you do every day, we’re kind of amazed that you were able to do that. We know you’ve got to keep your own farm but you sacrificed your time to go and help a lot of people. We just wanted to honor you for doing that.”

Powers and Hicks read the full resolution aloud.

Hicks said he remembers touring the flood damaged areas right after the hurricane hit.

“I used to work in that area and I remember thinking, how in the world are these people ever going to get out from under what I’m looking at,” he said. “The only way that they did was because of endeavors like what you all did. Those folks would have never been able to survive. I’m telling you that I’m as tickled and honored to be able to represent you all down in Nashville because of the people that you all are here.”

Pearman said he appreciated that his name was mentioned in the resolution, but was quick to point out he wasn’t the one who did all the work.

“It was you guys. Please understand that I’m not trying to take a lot of credit for this, I want you guys to have it all and I want this to be a celebration of what you guys did and know that I love all of you for what you did,” he said.

Mike Sharp, a farmer from Cocke County, thanked the Claiborne County farmers for all of their help. Sharp works at Wilson Livestock Market in Newport which served as a staging area for the supplies sent to Cocke County

“We appreciate what you folks did for us,” he said. “You farmers were bringing the hay and at the time I had a list of where the hay needed to go so we sent the trucks right on to the farms to unload. I think we had two tractor trailers and one 20-foot trailer we unloaded there at the market and by the next week it was all gone. So there were somewhere in the neighborhood of 600 bales that we distributed in Cocke County.”