High-Speed Internet Funding for Farms: The Last Acre Program.
This law establishes the "Last Acre Program," providing grants and loans to extend high-speed internet (minimum 100/20 Mbps) directly to unserved and underserved agricultural lands. The goal is to enable farmers to adopt precision agriculture technologies, improving efficiency and reducing input costs like seed and fertilizer. The program prioritizes remote areas and offers increased federal funding for limited resource farmers.
Key points
New federal funding is available for building broadband infrastructure directly on farmlands, including fields, farm sites, and livestock facilities.
The required minimum speed is 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload, essential for supporting automated farming equipment and sensors.
Low-income farmers qualify for a higher federal subsidy (up to 90% of project costs) to connect their eligible land.
The law mandates cybersecurity requirements for providers receiving funds to protect agricultural systems and data.
Expired
Citizen Poll