Farm Bill Includes Congressman Latta’s Rural Internet Proposals
12/12/18 – 5:28 A.M.
An effort to get better internet access to rural areas is in the proposed farm bill legislation. Congressman Bob Latta’s Precision Agriculture Connectivity Act was in the House-passed farm-bill earlier this year. It’s also included the legislation agreed to by a congressional conference committee. That means it will be in the version of the farm bill that both the Senate and the House of Representatives vote on.
The bill would establish an FCC task force that would work with the U.S. Agriculture Department. The group would identify gaps in broadband access and look for ways to rapidly expand broadband services.
Latta says better internet access in rural areas would help farmers do their jobs more efficiently. He says they would be able to use things like self-driving machinery, the Internet of Things, drones, and satellite imagery to help get their work done.