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Shining Light on Farm & Food Policy for 20 Years.
Thursday, October 10, 2024
With an eye on winning key battleground states, rural Democrats will be watching their party's national convention this week for a focus on concerns that could peel some voters away from President Donald Trump.
In this opinion piece, Lisa Safarian, president of Crop Science North America at Bayer, discusses the importance rural broadband has on the agriculture industry and why it needs more attention from Congress.
A House spending bill for the Agriculture Department would provide another $1.1 billion for rural broadband in fiscal 2021, a $435-million increase more than Congress provided for this year.
As Congress looks at crafting another potential coronavirus relief package, Federal Communications Commission Chair Ajit Pai said funding for rural broadband should be at the top of the list.
The American Farm Bureau Federation sent the Senate a wish list for the next coronavirus relief bill that includes a significant new round of aid to farmers as well as assistance for rural broadband and health care providers.
Companies say internet network capacity has stayed strong the last two months, but some providers are struggling to repay loans, provide internet routers, or find enough personal protective equipment to protect workers from COVID-19.
The Federal Communications Commission is planning to finalize draft procedures for the $16 billion phase one Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) next month.
House Democrats try to agree on the shape of the next major coronavirus relief bill, while farm groups lobby for a major new infusion of cash to offset the impact of the COVID-19 crisis.