View original article by Susan Littlefield on ruralradio.com
U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) unveiled the Linking Access to Spur Technology for Agriculture Connectivity in Rural Environments (LAST ACRE) Act this week.
The legislation aims to bridge the digital divide in rural areas by creating the Last Acre Program under the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Office of Rural Development.
The LAST ACRE Act proposes to expand network connectivity across farmland and ranchland, fostering greater access to high-speed broadband internet for farmers and ranchers.
While existing Rural Development programs already support the deployment of broadband networks to rural households and businesses, the USDA currently lacks a program targeting network extension across rural acreage, reaching what is known as the “last acre.” This last-acre connectivity is vital for agricultural professionals looking to leverage precision agriculture technologies in their day-to-day operations.
Fischer emphasized the urgency of enhancing rural connectivity: “It’s time for us to connect the last mile to the last acre. Producers looking to adopt precision agriculture technologies need network connectivity that extends far past their residences. They need to be able to make real-time decisions that increase yields and employ resources more efficiently. Our LAST ACRE Act will ensure that USDA has the strategy and resources needed to support last acre connectivity.”
The Last Acre Program established by the LAST ACRE Act will work to extend high-speed broadband internet access across eligible agricultural lands, encompassing farmland, ranchland, and farm sites. By doing so, the Act aims to achieve ubiquitous last acre coverage, empowering rural farmers and ranchers with improved connectivity.
Additionally, the bill will direct the USDA to update the Census of Agriculture, incorporating questions that explore producers’ adoption of broadband internet access services. These updates will furnish the USDA with valuable insights into service speed and broadband usage, including its applications for precision agriculture technologies.
