Sponsors (12)
The bill improves targeting and coordination for rural broadband by adding an agricultural-location map layer, potentially boosting access and economic opportunity for farms, but it creates implementation costs, a risky 180-day timeline, and privacy concerns that must be managed.
Rural communities, farmers, and state governments gain a standardized public agricultural-location map layer that improves visibility into broadband availability and enables better coordination of federal, state, and USDA grant targeting and service planning.
Farmers and agricultural businesses are more likely to receive prioritized broadband investments because improved mapping highlights underserved agricultural areas, which can increase economic opportunities and market access for rural producers.
The FCC (and by extension taxpayers and federal staff) may incur additional implementation costs and staff workload to prepare and integrate the new agricultural data layer, putting pressure on agency budgets and timelines.
The 180-day deadline for creating and integrating the data layer could force rushed work that produces errors or incomplete agricultural mapping, risking misdirected broadband funding and deployment decisions that harm rural communities.
Publishing detailed agricultural-location data could raise privacy and commercial-sensitivity concerns for landowners and agribusinesses if sufficient protections aren't specified, potentially exposing sensitive business or property information.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Adds an agricultural-areas layer to the FCC’s national broadband coverage map and requires the FCC to add it within 180 days and maintain it thereafter.
Introduced August 12, 2025 by Erin Houchin · Last progress August 12, 2025
Requires the Federal Communications Commission to add a geographic data layer showing agricultural areas to the national broadband coverage map and to keep that layer updated. The FCC must complete the initial update within 180 days of enactment and consult with the Department of Agriculture, Department of Commerce communications officials, State representatives, and other stakeholders while implementing and maintaining the map.