The Agriculture Department's Rural Utilities Service and the Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration requested comments on both allocation of the funding and implementation of new broadband services. In response, the American Farm Bureau Federation pointed out that the intent of Congress in recently passed legislation was to provide broadband services to un-served and underserved areas of the nation. Doing so, AFBF said, would bolster rural communities and families by giving them enhanced access to health care, education and business opportunities.
AFBF President Bob Stallman says America's farmers and ranchers need viable rural communities for the goods and services required for their agricultural operations. They also need affordable high-speed broadband service to access markets, weather reports, and government agencies.
The letter noted that un-served and underserved areas that lack access to a modern high-speed telecommunications infrastructure are predominantly in rural America and called for the vast majority of funds to be allocated to meet the needs of those communities. AFBF also noted retail price should be one of the primary considerations when awarding funding.
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