Bridging the digital divide

from BCR_Ag Matters_062020

by Shaw Media

TECHNOLOGY Bridging the digital divide

Farmers, students, rural small businesses need broadband

By Erica Quinlan

AGRINEWS PUBLICATIONS

WASHINGTON — Now more than ever, rural America needs access to the internet.

A panel of farmers, businessmen, educators and other experts spoke up about the topic during a webinar June 9 .

“Farmers having the availability to utilize technology and use it to its greatest potential is going to have a significant impact moving forward,” said RJ Karney, director of congressional relations for the American Farm Bureau Federation .

“We’re talking about things like soil health, plant health, being able to monitor your livestock and cattle to help with the animal. There’s great potential here when discussing broadband and precision agriculture .”

Karney also noted Congress took commendable action to fix faulty broadband mapping data earlier this year and now must provide the Federal Communications Commission the funding needed to implement those changes .

Inaccurate maps have been one of the greatest hurdles in getting broadband funding to areas that need it most, Karney said.

The digital divide affects more than just farmers. Education and health care are taking a hit, as well .

“It just hurts me to see that educa tion for many students in this country

In the town of Council Grove, Kansas, Tri-County Telephone Association brings broadband service to businesses and homes.

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ended in mid-March because of a lack 20% of rural small businesses actually of broadband,” said Betsy Huber, presgenerate the vast majority of their sellident of the National Grange of the ing of products and services online. Order of Patrons of Husbandry. “They “If we actually have full adoption of weren’t able to complete the school digital tools for rural small businesses, year with learning. we’ d actually see an additional $74 bil

“Rural areas don’t have the health lion in sales per year, an addition of care providers that urban areas do. $41 billion in GDP and we’d actually And when you’re afraid to go to the add at least 300,000 jobs to the econdoctor or don’t omy.” have that option, Crenshaw emthen it’s even worse in this time. “Farmers having the phasized the importance of “The doctors can do so much availability to utilize congressional action to deploy tarby internet, by telehealth.” technology and use it to its geted, timely resources to tackle Huber encouraged action to greatest potential is going specific needs like the homework expand access to broadband now, not in five years. Jorda n Crenshaw, execto have a significant impact moving forward,” said RJ Karney gap . He also pointed to the importance of updating America’s regulautive director of tory landscape to the U.S. Chamber protect consumof Commerce ers and unleash Technology Engagement Center, exprivate-sector innovation to help close plained that lack of broadband is afthe digital divide . fecting small businesses, as well . “There should be an effort to put

“Rural small businesses are trying to funds in places where there are uninnovate . The problem is it’s a connecserved communities, to make sure tivity issue,” he said . “We’ve only seen we’re efficiently spending that money Tri-County Telephone Association brings broadband service to businesses and homes throughout the Flint Hills region of Kansas.

and also when it comes to broadband policy in general, making sure we have a regulatory framework in place that’s designed for the 21st century,” Crenshaw said.

Learn more at www .connectamericansnow .com.

Erica Quinlan can be reached at 800-426-9438, ext. 193, or equinlan@ agrinews-pubs.com. Follow her on Twitter at: @AgNews_Quinlan.

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