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Perdue discusses broadband with Wisconsin farmers, educators, providers

Ag Sec. Sonny Perdue, Cong. Sean Duffy, Sen. Ron Johnson discuss rural development 8/4/17 in Wausau, WI

Farmers and others told Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue broadband Internet improvements are vital to rural communities.

One of them was Leslie Svacina of Deer Park, Wisconsin, who direct markets goat meat online with a very poor connection.  “What’s really been a challenge is we have access to Internet, DSL, but our speed is incredibly slow.  In times, it drops out and doesn’t always work, and it’s just really challenging to do basic business.”

Several participants in a rural development roundtable discussion in Wausau, Wisconsin Friday said getting everyone connected is not enough because connection speeds need to be fast.  Wisconsin Farm Bureau Governmental Affairs Director Rob Richard tells Brownfield the USDA farm survey coming out soon isn’t addressing that.  Richard says, “The question that the census survey is going to ask is, ‘Do you have Internet access?’  As I pointed out to Secretary Purdue, we’re not asking the right question.  The question should be, ‘What Internet speed to you have or can get access to?'”

Secretary Perdue agrees ag needs faster and more reliable internet.  “In precision agriculture, we’ve got capacities in agriculture today that cannot be utilized without the connectivity of rural broadband.  One was mentioned here today with robotic milkers.”

Perdue chairs an interagency task force on rural development, nd plans to deliver President Trump an action plan in November of this year.

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