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Precision agriculture resources could see more farm bill support

Precision agriculture technology is on a path to get more federal support in the 2023 Farm Bill.

Senator Deb Fisher of Nebraska says the joint FCC-USDA Precision Ag Connectivity Task Force is recommending Congress prioritize on-farm connectivity and increased access to loans, as requested in her bipartisan Precision Ag Loan (PAL) program and LAST ACRE bills.

“We know that precision ag technologies give producers the ability to monitor and decrease their use of inputs like fertilizer and water while still producing safe, high-quality crops,” she says.

Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, at a recent Ag Committee hearing on ag technology, says she and Ranking Member John Boozman plan to have Fischer’s legislation become part of the next farm bill.

The PAL program would provide dedicated financing through the USDA Farm Service Agency to help producers purchase precision agriculture equipment. The LAST ACRE Act would expand network access across farm and ranch land acreage allowing for reliability in fields when using precision technology.

Additionally, Fischer has introduced the PRECISE Act would increase access to precision ag technologies through existing conservation programs.