On Wednesday, the California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF) hosted a forum titled Broadband in Agriculture (Forum) in Sacramento.  The Forum provided an opportunity for a broad base of rural broadband deployment advocates to meet and continue the discussion on closing the digital divide in California’s rural communities.  More specifically, the Forum provided an update on two pilot projects currently underway in Yolo and Fresno counties.  

The purpose of the pilot projects is to research and document the impact of broadband in agriculture, and demonstrate the benefit of utilizing cutting edge precision agricultural technology to help growers maximize production while conserving water and energy, and improving the overall health of their land.  The precision agricultural technology requires broadband to collect, analyze and transmit vast amounts of information, and the results of this project will provide data on the need for broadband deployment in unserved and underserved areas throughout the counties.  The results are also expected to demonstrate the tremendous benefits resulting from broadband deployment.

The pilot projects are a joint effort between CETF, Valley Vision, AgStart, University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources, TransValley AgTech, and the U.S.D.A.  In addition to these presentations, there were several rural broadband industry experts and advocates in attendance to share their expertise, ideas and recommendations on the following questions:

  • How important is broadband to California’s agricultural industry?
  • What are the policies and strategies that should be embraced by the State and federal government (Farm Bill) to promote broadband connectivity for the agricultural industry?
  • What should the Forum participants do to be helpful and effective?
  • Broadband industry leaders, current and former State Legislatures, policy-makers, farmers and growers, and other experts discussed the overall impact broadband deployment would have throughout California’s rural communities, and the potential economic development benefits that would occur should a broad coalition of the aforementioned work together to find ways to finance efforts to bring high-speed broadband throughout all regions of California.  In general, all participants agreed that broadband is one of the most critical infrastructure priorities and that ubiquitous broadband deployment would have a significantly positive impact to the State and local economies, and improve the overall quality of life of rural and other unserved and underserved Californians.  California cannot afford to wait any longer.  High-speed broadband is the future and without significant action, rural Californians risk falling even further behind their more urban and suburban neighbors.