FCC Announces Working Group Members for Its Precision Agriculture Connectivity Task Force

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced the new members of the four “Working Groups” that will continue to assist its Precision Agriculture Connectivity Task Force.
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The purpose of the Task Force and the Working Groups is to provide advice and recommendations to the FCC on accelerating the deployment of broadband internet access service on unserved agricultural land to promote precision agriculture.

These efforts support the FCC’s focus on “precision agriculture” technologies and issues, as the agency has committed at least $1 billion to target the deployment of technologically innovative 5G networks that facilitate precision agriculture. These funds will be available in “Phase II” of the FCC’s 5G Fund, the general goal of which is to bring 5G wireless broadband connectivity to rural America. The Public Notice announcing the adoption of the Order allocating these funds can be accessed.

The chairs and members of the four Working Groups are associated with the entities listed below:

  • Mapping and Analyzing Connectivity on Agricultural Lands Working Group
  • Tallahatchie Valley Electric Power Assoc. and Tallahatchie Valley Internet Services, LLC
  • National Rural Electric Cooperative Association
  • South Dakota State University
  • Montana State Univ. College of Agriculture and Montana Agricultural Experiment Station
  • USTelecom – The Broadband Association
  • Oklahoma Farm Bureau
  • WISPER ISP, LLC

Examining Current and Future Connectivity Demand for Precision Agriculture Working Group

  • Iron Horse Vineyards
  • Ericsson
  • Fifth Estate Growers LLC
  • Satellite Broadcasting and Communications Association
  • AgGateway
  • John Deere
  • CropTrak
  • Rural Wireless Association

Encouraging Adoption of Precision Agriculture and Availability of High-Quality Jobs on Connected Farms Working Group

  • NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association
  • Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Mississippi State University
  • Tennessee Farm Bureau Association
  • Vayda, Inc.
  • Irrigation Association
  • CoBank
  • America’s Public Television Stations
  • Clemson University Center for Agricultural Technology

 Accelerating Broadband Deployment on Unserved Agricultural Lands Working Group

  • Knodle Ltd. Farms
  • Viasat
  • T-Mobile USA, Inc.
  • WISPA – Broadband Without Boundaries
  • The National Grange
  • Upstate New York Towns Association
  • Nebraska Public Service Commission

Contacts

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