WHITE PAPER

PRECISION
AGRICULTURE
TECHNOLOGY:
BROADBAND
CONNECTIVITY NEEDED
 Precision Agriculture Technology: Broadband Connectivity Needed
June 29, 2023

Andy Pollock & Sarah Meier, Broadband Practice Group

Rembolt Ludtke LLP

Precision agriculture is a combination of hardware and software tools that provides

information to make farming more sustainable and efficient, according to Joe Luck, an
associate professor of biological systems engineering and Extension precision agriculture
specialist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. 1 These “tools” are state-of-the-art
technologies and applications that allow local producers to maximize production, reduce
input costs, and use natural resources, including water, more efficiently. According to
Professor Luck, precision agriculture allows producers to “apply less water and fewer
chemicals, protecting water and other natural resources.”

Today, access to most of these “tools” requires broadband connectivity, at least to the farm
and ranch. International agribusiness suppliers are pushing out such technologies as widely
as possible on a global level, but are limited when there is not broadband connectivity. In
many rural areas of Nebraska, farmers and ranchers lack the broadband connectivity needed
to utilize modern precision agriculture technology.

According to the FCC’s Precision Agriculture Task Force Connectivity Mapping and Analysis
Working Group, there are two main barriers to connectivity in the agriculture space. 2 First,
there is a lack of coordination among relevant federal agencies with jurisdiction over
broadband as well as agricultural and federal lands. 3 Second, variability in data collection
methods across federal agencies has resulted in fragmented data leading to an inaccurate
representation of the broadband user experience and service availability at farms, ranches,
pastures and farm offices. 4 The Nebraska Broadband Office, when creating its fabric location
map, should consider the data collection factors unique to agricultural land. For example, the
state should consider the availability of reliable high-speed service on agricultural land that
is capable of supporting technology sufficient to handle the immense volume of data collection
and analysis necessary for modern farming. The Nebraska Broadband Office should also
consider adopting a connectivity rubric which takes into account different types of
agricultural land and the various production capabilities and connectivity requirements for
each, such as cultivated land, pasture/grazing land, agricultural structures, and residential
land. 5 In establishing collection factors for agricultural land, the Broadband Office should
consider the best strategies and technologies for connectivity at the most appropriate
geographic level (e.g., acre-by-acre, etc.) for the particular area. It should also consider factors
such as the type of agricultural use and connectivity needs associated with such use. Having

1 University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Interview with Joe Luck:
Precision Agriculture, Engineering Solutions for the 21st Century (last accessed June 27, 2023),
https://sdn.unl.edu/article/precision-agriculture.
2 Interim Report FY 2022, Federal Communication Commission: Precision Agriculture Task Force Connectivity

Mapping and Analysis Working Group (Adopted December 2, 2022) at p. 2,

https://www.fcc.gov/sites/default/files/mapping-working-interim-report-12022022.pdf.
3 Id.
4 Id.
5 Id. at pp. 4-5

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a nuanced map relative to agricultural land is critical for assessing the extent to which lack
of connectivity inhibits productive use of technology suitable for precision agriculture.

Both local producers and international suppliers stand to benefit from better connectivity by
increasing profits, reducing costs, and being better environmental stewards. Given scarce
resources (natural and human) in Nebraska, particularly west of the 100th Meridian, efficient
practices are critical to long-term sustainability. By increasing efficiency through broadband
connectivity, the Nebraska agricultural industry will be enabled to increase production
needed to help “feed the world.” 6

“One of the main issues with providing enough food for a growing world
population is the transport and logistics of food to people who can’t grow it
where they are, as well as the significant issue of climate change and
climate variability. I think if we can get everyone to produce with higher
efficiency – and I think some of our producers here in Nebraska are – we
would be a lot further along than we are right now.” 7
Professor Luck, UN-L

Local and regional producers, agribusiness partners, and their representatives should
immediately engage international suppliers to discuss strategies to improve connectivity
necessary for the rapid adoption of precision agriculture practices. Together, they should
quickly begin to plan projects that might be expanded with BEAD funding.

While the concept of utilizing “Community Anchor Institutions” as a means of connecting

broader rural areas has proven successful with schools, libraries, and healthcare institutions,
there is no reason to restrict the community anchor concept – the idea behind it – to
traditionally public entities. Private industry could (and should) be leveraged as an “anchor
tenant” for local and regional broadband deployment.

To improve connectivity for precision agricultural purposes, local producers should partner
with international suppliers. 8 To the extent that there are particular agricultural market
opportunities that might be improved by better connectivity, especially when it comes to
science-based use of scarce natural resources, then they should be creatively explored. Local
and regional producers and agribusinesses should work with the State to ensure that publicly
funded infrastructure best satisfies unique local and regional needs.

The Nebraska Broadband Office would be well-advised to consider incentivizing such

consumer-driven partnership projects and encouraging matching funds from stakeholders
that will gain from the projects. The Public Service Commission should encourage such
collaborative innovation through grants it makes under its Precision Agriculture
Infrastructure Grant program. These two agencies should strategically coordinate their
programs to best leverage public funds and ensure Nebraska’s agricultural connectivity
needs are satisfied.

6 University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Interview with Joe Luck.

7 Id.
8 Other local and regional businesses should reach out to regional, state, and other vendors to explore similar

opportunities.

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