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Rural broadband legislation
Story Date: 1/29/2018
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Source: NC FARM BUREAU, 1/26/18
The Agricultural Broadband Coalition applauded bipartisan leaders in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate Jan. 25 for introducing the Precision Agriculture Connectivity Act of 2018, a milestone piece of legislation that will help to revolutionize farming across the United States. The legislation will help facilitate the deployment of broadband internet across rural America – including ranchland and cropland, where broadband connectivity is increasingly essential for production agriculture. “Bringing together the Agriculture Department, the Federal Communications Commission and public and private stakeholders to address the needs of precision agriculture ensures current and future generations of farmers and ranchers will have the necessary connectivity to achieve optimal yields, lower environmental impact and maximize profit,” American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall said. The Precision Agriculture Connectivity Act of 2018 creates the Task Force for Meeting the Connectivity and Technology Needs of Precision Agriculture in the United States. Within a year, the task force is intended to bring together public and private stakeholders to evaluate current programs affecting broadband internet access on cropland and ranchland, identify and measure existing gaps in coverage, and develop policy recommendations to address that gap. The task force is also charged with developing specific steps the FCC, USDA and other federal agencies can take to address gaps in coverage.
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