Sponsors (2)
The bill directs targeted funding, cost‑sharing, accountability, and data collection to expand and secure rural broadband for farmers and better target investments, but it raises federal costs, administrative burdens, potential exclusion where maps are inaccurate, risks to small local providers, and some data/privacy and legal‑certainty concerns.
Rural farmers and producers will gain expanded high‑speed internet access enabling precision agriculture and better on‑farm connectivity.
Limited‑resource and low‑income farmers can receive much larger federal cost‑shares (up to 90%), substantially lowering out‑of‑pocket costs for connectivity projects.
Improved data collection and annual public reporting will give farmers, policymakers, and states clearer, more current broadband availability and performance information to better target investments and close rural service gaps.
If locations shown as serviceable on broadband maps are excluded from assistance, some farms in inaccurately mapped areas could be left without needed broadband support.
The program increases federal spending (about $20 million per year for FY2026–2030), which raises costs for taxpayers.
Prioritizing lowest‑cost bids to award projects may disadvantage smaller local providers and could lead to lower service quality or reduced local economic benefits.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Adds a Last Acre Program to the Rural Electrification Act to promote last‑mile farm broadband and mandates USDA surveys collect farm broadband subscription, speed, and usage data.
Official title: To amend the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 to establish a last acre program, and for other purposes.
Introduced May 6, 2025 by Brad Finstad · Last progress May 6, 2025
Creates a new “Last Acre Program” in the Rural Electrification Act to promote last‑mile broadband and precision agriculture connectivity for agricultural producers, and requires USDA surveys to collect farm‑level broadband subscription, speed, and usage data. The bill adds detailed definitions and performance thresholds for the program but does not appropriate or authorize specific funding or lay out program administration or eligibility rules. Also directs the Secretary of Agriculture to update the quinquennial Census of Agriculture and related NASS surveys to ask about broadband subscription status at farm sites, self‑reported upload/download speeds, and uses including precision agriculture.