USDA releases report on rural broadband

Published by Morning Ag Clips on April 30th, 2019 WASHINGTON — Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue today unveiled a groundbreaking report, A Case for Rural Broadband: Insights on Rural Broadband Infrastructure and Next Generation Precision Agriculture Technologies (PDF, 2.5 MB). The report finds that deployment of both broadband e-Connectivity and Next Generation Precision Agriculture Technology on farms and ranches throughout the U.S. could …

Lack of rural broadband limits farmers

Published by Albany Herald on April 29th, 2019 By Clint Thompson TIFTON — Georgia farmers have technological advancements at their fingertips, but many are not able to use them to their fullest extent due to the lack of broadband internet access, according to Wes Porter, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension precision agriculture and irrigation specialist. “We’re creating all sorts of …

SC students do homework in parking lots to get Wi-Fi. Clyburn wants Congress to help

Published by Greenville News on April 16th, 2019 COLUMBIA — U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn was meeting with farmers about disaster relief when one Chester County resident shared a story about a different kind of disaster unfolding in rural South Carolina. The man told the Columbia Democrat schoolchildren in his small town are driven to the library after hours so they …

Senator Blunt says expansion of high-speed broadband essential to rural Missouri growth

Published by SJ Post on April 26th, 2019 By Brent Martin  U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt wants Congress to tackle expanding broadband access, especially to rural America. Blunt says high-speed Internet access can no longer be considered a luxury. “High-speed broadband, I believe, is as important today as the telephone was seven decades ago and we need to make the same …

USDA opens application portal for new ReConnect Rural Broadband Infrastructure Program

Published by Dairy Business on April 26th, 2019 Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is now accepting online applications for funding through the new ReConnect Rural Broadband Pilot Program. These funds will enable the federal government to partner with the private sector and rural communities to build modern broadband infrastructure in areas with …

Rural Broadband Funding: New Deadlines, Planning for Investment

Bowling Green, KY (April 25, 2019) – The USDA has extended the deadline for grant applications to its ReConnect Program. The program is focused on efforts that will expand broadband in rural America. The first round of applications are now due on May 31. In this first round of funding, USDA is making available at least $600 million in rural broadband projects, …

Empower Rural Iowa Initiative Unanimously Approved

Des Moines, IA (April 25, 2019) – The Iowa legislature this week passed the Empower Rural Iowa Initiative (HF 772). This important piece of legislation will, among other things, focus on expanding rural broadband across the state. According to the southernminn.com, it sets new standards for rural broadband and updates 2014 service maps to reflect new installations. Connected Nation applauds this …

Connected Nation Places Sixth Among Best Places to Work in Kentucky

Bowling Green, Ky. (April 24, 2019) – Connected Nation, Inc. (CN) has once again been named among the Best Places to Work in Kentucky—placing 6th in the small companies category. This is the 8th year the nonprofit has received the distinction which is awarded through the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce. “To be named in the top ten among the Best …