Four Hoosiers tackled a burning issue during the finals of the Indiana Farm Bureau Discussion Meet. How can Indiana Farm Bureau play a role in finding workable solutions for the state’s rural broadband dilemma?

This year’s final discussion meet round was held virtually as part of INFB’s virtual state convention. Each contestant participated from his or her home or office. Through the magic of the internet, it seemed as if they were in the same room. The four participants were Jessica Baggerman, Huntington County, a professor of animal science at Huntington University; Nathan Bush, Johnson County, an agronomist for Greene Crop Consulting Inc.; Grace Moster, Franklin County; and Hannah Walker, Washington County. Both Moster and Walker are college students.

Here are key points each person made:

“I suggest a three-prong approach,” Bush said. “First, we need to agree that rural broadband is critical infrastructure, like roads and electricity. Then it makes sense to dedicate more public funds and grants to entities that can make it happen. Finally, it’s only fair that the end user should help cover costs through usage fees over time.”

Walker added, “COVID-19 has made it very clear that we need access to high-speed internet in rural areas too. I know that the Jackson County REMC, as just one example, is in the process of delivering internet service to rural customers.”

Moster believes the answer lies in private-public partnerships, like empowering rural electric member cooperatives with grants and loans to cover the upfront investment.

“Looking back over what has happened so far with federal grants, a lot of money has been spent on replacing poles,” Bush said. “Going forward, we need to require that a larger amount of money from grants go into fiber itself. It’s long-lasting, and it delivers high-quality broadband service.”

Moster continued, “Farm Bureau can play an important role in advocating for a system where REMCs would play a key role. Local REMCs need money to make this happen. We need to continue to make legislators aware. We’re the ones to do it, because there is no one closer to REMCs than Farm Bureau people.”

Make it happen

“We need to think through the long-term consequences,” Baggerman said. “Who will be responsible for the maintenance once broadband is installed? That needs to be a partnership as well. We need to think about the costs of maintenance of infrastructure over time.”

Not everyone in rural Indiana is served by an REMCs. Some are served by private companies, and Bush made that clear. Private companies need to be included in the discussion.

“That’s a great point,” Moster added. “And it’s already happening at the national level. Look at government partnering with SpaceX to get us back into the space business. That is a model we could follow.”

Baggerman emphasized why private companies need incentives to extend fiber and internet into rural areas. “I come from a family farm in Texas, and rural areas there are stuck with satellite service,” she said. “It’s too expensive for companies to run fiber to serve a handful of customers compared to how many they can serve in urban areas. Companies look at their bottom line.”

Walker harkened back to the example of the Jackson County REMC in her area. “It’s a $70 million investment, and they realize it will be a long-term payoff,” she says. “They’re using a 30-year loan to help make it happen.”

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