Georgia Rural Broadband Funding and Drought Worries

Georgia Rural Broadband Funding and Drought Worries

Bob Larson
Bob Larson
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson with your Agribusiness Update.

**The USDA is investing $4.6 million to provide broadband service in unserved and underserved rural areas in Georgia.

This investment is part of the $550 million Congress allocated to the second round of the ReConnect Program.

The Pembroke Telephone Company will use the ReConnect grant to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network to connect over 35-hundred people, 73 farms and 19 businesses to high-speed broadband internet in Evans and Tattnall counties.

**The USDA is seeking members for a new advisory committee for urban agriculture.

The dozen members of the board will advise the agriculture secretary on issues relating to urban/indoor/vertical farms and identify barriers to establishing them.

According to thepacker.com, USDA’s Undersecretary Bill Northey says this group will underscore USDA’s commitment to all segments of agriculture and has the potential to support innovative ways to increase local food production in urban environments.

Nominations are due March 5th.

https://www.thepacker.com/news/packer-tech/usda-seeks-members-new-urban/indoor-ag-committee?mkt/

**After looking at the most recent US drought monitor, the Principal Atmospheric Scientist for Nutrien Ag Solutions is concerned for many key growing areas moving forward.

Eric Snodgrass tells agrimarketing.com, the study puts most of the western half of the country in some stage of drought, with sections in many states in extreme to exceptional drought.

Snodgrass says while the dry pattern is not a repeat of 2012, it is still a concerning matter to watch closely.

https://www.agrimarketing.com/s/134345

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