Ag Broadband Coalition Hails Precision Agriculture Connectivity Act

Precision Ag

Ag Broadband Coalition Hails Precision Agriculture Connectivity Act

A recent article of interest

The Agricultural Broadband Coalition applauded bipartisan leaders in the House and Senate in January for introducing the Precision Agriculture Connectivity Act of 2018, legislation designed to facilitate the deployment of broadband internet across rural America — including ranchland and cropland, where broadband connectivity is increasingly essential for production agriculture.

“This legislation creates a clear mandate for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to work with other branches of government to develop a comprehensive strategy to both update our rural infrastructure, and ensure that those investments meet the needs of farmers and ranchers, and the machinery on which they rely to feed the world.” said Nick Tindall, senior director for the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), the chair of the Agricultural Broadband Coalition.

"Bringing together the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the FCC 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," said American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall. "Broadband deployment in unserved and underserved croplands and ranchlands is essential to farmers and ranchers who produce the food, fuel and fiber across the United States and around the world."

The act would create a task force 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.