Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4881, the Precision Agriculture Connectivity Act, as amended, to help improve high-speed broadband access for our Nation's farmers. I represent the largest farm income-producing district in the State of Ohio; therefore, I am fortunate to visit farms across the region and learn about new technologies, like the Internet of Things equipment, that are helping to improve farm productivity and sustainability. But the unfortunate reality is that lack of high-speed broadband in rural areas, specifically in farm communities, hinders the use of advanced technologies in agriculture operations. That is why I introduced H.R. 4881, along with my friend, the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Loebsack). Our bill would require the Federal Communications Commission to establish a task force, in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, to review the connectivity and technology needs of precision agriculture in the United States. I believe by combining minds from these two expert agencies, along with relevant private stakeholders, the task force will be able to offer tangible solutions that will promote rapid, expanded deployment of broadband in unserved areas, creating a pathway for precision agriculture in our rural farmlands. {time} 1430 The true benefits of precision agriculture cannot be realized without the availability of reliable broadband internet access service.…”