By RACHEL LANE

D.C. Correspondent

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) may soon form a task force to identify gaps in broadband internet that impacts farmers and ranchers.

Senate Bill 2343, the Precision Agriculture Connectivity Act of 2018, has been approved by the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. According the bipartisan bill, the FCC would also develop methods to encourage adoption of high-speed internet services and precision agriculture.

Access to availability has been a focus of the federal government since the Rural Task Force Initiative announced findings in January that broadband access was one of the top-requested concerns for rural America. A coalition was formed by stakeholders in April to commit to the expansion of broadband services in rural America.

A series of workshops will focus attention on the challenges to achieve connectivity, and the opportunities that improving e-connectivity could bring to the people and economy of rural America. USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue and FCC Chair Ajit Pai joined executives from the five partner organizations for the coalition: Farm Foundation, The Rural Broadband Assoc., National Rural Electric Cooperative Assoc. (NRECA), CoBank and the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corp. (CFC).

"I believe it can be one of the most transformative things we can do for America, for youth and connectivity," Perdue said.

Some of the technology currently available to farmers is inaccessible because they lack broadband access. Precision technology can increase productivity 10-15 percent, increase bushels per acre and decrease inputs up to 50 percent. Sprayers with optic sensors can identify weeds, treating only the plant that needs to be treated with herbicide, limiting the cost of herbicide and benefiting the environment.

"That’s real ingenuity, creativeness and innovativeness that America has been known for," Perdue added.

The benefits will not just be seen on the farm. He said broadband can provide students opportunities to connect with more difficult courses and access to a medical expert without leaving the home, and benefit e-commerce for all rural business owners, including farmers, who want to connect with a global market.

"I don’t think the awareness has ever been stronger about the need and the outcome and the ability to get this done," Perdue said. "We don’t want to lose that momentum. We’re not going to do it everywhere all at one time. We need a national strategy."

The different government agencies need to work with each other and with the private sector to use the money and other resources available in the most sustainable way to form a viable, self-sustaining business model in the future.

“Actions needed to improve e-connectivity vary widely by community and region,” noted Farm Foundation President and CEO Constance Cullman. “These listening sessions will serve to highlight common issues, success stories to build strong broadband systems and challenges that are yet to be met.”

More than 100 electric cooperatives already are providing broadband service to their members.

“The widening digital divide is a national crisis deserving of a national response,” said Jim Matheson, CEO of NRECA. “For decades, electric cooperatives have enhanced the quality of life throughout rural America. Now, many of those same electric co-ops are helping reinvigorate rural economies by bringing broadband to rural homes, businesses and farms.

“High costs to serve areas with low population density remain the biggest obstacle to expanded rural broadband access.”

CFC CEO Sheldon Petersen explained additional investment in rural broadband will be a team effort. “Local partnerships can be a wonderful way to leverage resources, expertise and efficiencies to ensure that rural communities can fully participate in today’s 21st century economy.”

Perdue said when his parents first received electricity in the 1930s, a single light bulb could make a difference in a family's life. Broadband services need to be addressed now the same way as electricity, telephones and highways were addressed in the past century.

A bill that was introduced in the House in January, which stressed the importance of broadband connectivity on farms, appears to have stalled. As in the Senate, the House version was also filed by bipartisan legislators.