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USDA working with states to improve rural broadband connectivity

The USDA Deputy Undersecretary for Rural Development says the agency remains committed to improving broadband access for farmers and ranchers.

“As soon as you think you have enough, you need more.”

Neal Robbins says the department is working directly with state agencies to provide the resource directly to ag producers. “The states who know more about their local needs than anybody that we’re delivering the financing, the grant money, the technical expertise that they need to make sure their entire state is connected.”

He tells Brownfield precision and advanced agriculture, manufacturing and biomanufacturing areas are heavily dependent on information. “We don’t want to wait. We need fertilizer and we don’t’ want to waste any of it. Broadband connectivity and access to technology and software to help good decisions at the farm level are critical. Those are the infrastructure investments that we’re trying to make.”

Robbins says the agency is also working to remove red tape and improve efficiency for applications so contractors can deliver services quickly.