Sponsors (13)
The bill improves mapping and coordination to better target broadband to rural and agricultural areas, but does so with tight deadlines, potential privacy/commercial risks for landowners, and added implementation costs that could lead to rushed or costly rollouts.
Rural communities and farmers will have clearer, standardized public maps of agricultural locations so federal, state, and USDA broadband programs can target funding and deployments more effectively.
Agricultural businesses and farmers may see prioritized broadband investments and improved internet access that could increase economic opportunities and farm productivity.
A 180‑day deadline to integrate the new agricultural map layer could force rushed work, producing errors or incomplete mapping that might misdirect broadband funding and deployment decisions.
Publishing detailed agricultural-location data could create privacy and commercial-sensitivity risks for landowners and agribusinesses if protections and limits on data use are not specified.
Collecting and integrating the new data layer will increase FCC implementation costs and staff time, which may put pressure on agency budgets or program timelines (costs borne by taxpayers and federal employees indirectly).
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires the FCC to add and maintain an agricultural-area geographic data layer on the national broadband coverage map within 180 days, in consultation with USDA, Commerce, states, and stakeholders.
Official title: To direct the Federal Communications Commission to incorporate into the National Broadband Map of the Commission a layer that presents data on the location of agricultural areas, and for other purposes.
Introduced August 12, 2025 by Erin Houchin · Last progress August 12, 2025
Requires the FCC to update the national broadband coverage map to include a geographic data layer showing the location of agricultural areas and to maintain that layer going forward. The FCC must complete the initial update within 180 days of enactment and consult with USDA, Commerce, states, and other stakeholders when building the layer.