Source: Keith Good, FARM POLICY NEWS, UNIV. OF ILLINOIS, 8/21/17


Today’s update discusses rural broadband issues and federal regulatory action that was taken this month to help close the digital divide in Rural America.  The update also touches on a couple of legislative proposals regarding broadband expansion, and highlights a recent USDA survey that documents how many farmers are using the Internet and how they are currently connecting.

Background
Recall that back in June, The Wall Street Journal published a detailed report on the availability of high speed Internet access in rural America.

The article, “Moving at the Speed of Dial-Up,” stated that, “In many rural communities, where available broadband speed and capacity barely surpass old-fashioned dial-up connections, residents sacrifice not only their online pastimes but also chances at a better living. In a generation, the travails of small-town America have overtaken the ills of the city, and this technology disconnect is both a cause and a symptom.

For more of this story, click here.