The old saying goes, “Every cloud has a silver lining.” In agriculture, there always seems to be a new challenge just around the corner, so it’s natural for farmers to focus on those signs of hope. 

The silver lining of COVID-19 has been the momentum toward connecting our homes, rural and urban, to high-speed internet. Broadband seems to be something we can all agree on, no matter where we live.

Broadband connectivity is essential for Missouri farmers and rural communities. It’s how farmers are able to adopt the latest technology standards on their farms, how schoolchildren can complete homework and how rural families are able to work from home during a pandemic. It’s also important for rural businesses that rely on the internet to make their operations run.

If you live in a rural area, you know that good internet, or internet at all, may be hard to come by. There is a large digital divide between urban and rural areas. However, the most recent FCC Broadband Deployment report shows significant progress with that gap being cut in half since 2016.

On top of that, more than three-quarters of those in newly served areas live in rural communities, bringing the percentage of rural Americans with at least 25 Mbps to nearly 83%.  

There have been several recent developments, some Missouri led, helping to expand rural broadband.

Broadband projects underway

Last fall, Gov. Mike Parson announced that 26 broadband projects would receive up to $3.8 million through the state’s Emergency Broadband Investment Program. This program seeks to reimburse providers who expand their services to unserved or underserved areas in the state.

In December, the FCC announced that 17 broadband entities in Missouri would receive $346 million in subsidies over 10 years to deploy high-speed internet to 199,211 locations in Missouri. These providers will offer services for more Missourians who find themselves in a digital desert.

In January, the USDA ReConnect Program awarded six Missouri broadband providers with $103 million to expand their rural broadband services. These recipients will provide services for Missouri community facilities, health care facilities, farms, businesses and hundreds of Missouri households.

Creating pathways to broadband access

COVID-19 has also highlighted that even though efforts are being made to expand rural broadband services, some Americans are unable to afford purchasing internet packages. Rural internet tends to be more expensive than internet plans in urban areas. The expenses of building broadband networks and smaller pools of customers drive up the price of rural internet.

The FCC recognized the difficulty that some rural Americans were having paying for internet and announced the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program for those meeting certain income eligibility criteria determined by the FCC. This program provides up to a $50 a month discount for households struggling to pay for internet during the pandemic. More information can be found at GetEmergencyBroadband.org.

The momentum to connect every American to the internet has picked up in the past year, but for many of us, rural broadband has been a focus issue for years. I’m proud to continue my efforts to bring better rural broadband to Missouri. Beginning last year, I started my role as a member on the FCC’s Precision Ag Taskforce that works to bring accessible high-speed internet to rural Missouri.

I’m also proud to continue working with Missouri’s Broadband Leadership team. We are focused on getting internet to all parts of the state. Helping Missouri farmers be able to connect with the world and use technology to improve and maintain their farming operations is something that I am honored to do.

When people ask themselves what will stay and what will go after the pandemic ends, I hope one focus that stays is the focus on broadband for rural communities. Reliable internet is a must for all communities.

Rural communities can no longer be left out of this digital boom. I’m proud of the work that has been done, and I am excited to see continued investments and work to connect every last mile of Missouri.  

Chinn is the director of the Missouri Department of Agriculture and a hog producer from Clarence, Mo.