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Overcoming the digital divide in Rural America

Advancing broadband connection continues to be a priority for state departments of agriculture.

Ag Secretary Tom told National Association of State Departments of Agriculture members on Wednesday the patchwork investments in rural broadband are no longer good enough and the proposed infrastructure bill has the means to provide what America’s farmers and ranchers need.  “Ultimately implementation of significant broadband access, not just check-the-box broadband access, but significant download and upload speeds, that will allow farmers, ranchers, producers, and rural communities, to have full have full access to this incredibly important technology,” he says.  

AUDIO: USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack

Matt Dunne, Executive Director for the Center for Rural Innovation told NASDA members connectivity in rural areas is vast and diverse, and filling in the gaps will take work. “This is the moment where we can actually capture that and do the deployment,” he says.  “If we don’t seize it right now, we have the potential of it passing us by. To have these resources not being used effectively and not being able to bring our country, frankly, into the 21st Century.”

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