FCC Announces the Membership and First Meeting of the Re-Chartered Precision Agriculture Connectivity Task Force

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, in consultation with Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, has appointed members to serve on the re-chartered Task Force for Reviewing the Connectivity and Technology Needs of Precision Agriculture in the United States. The Task Force will hold the first meeting of its third and final term on Wednesday, January 31, 2024. Chairwoman Rosenworcel has designated Michael Adelaine, Ph.D., CIO Emeritus & Special Advisor to the President, South Dakota State University, to serve as Chair of the Task Force. Chairwoman Rosenworcel has designated two Vice Chairs: Dr. Sreekala Bajwa, Vice President, Dean & Director, Montana State University College of Agriculture & Montana Agricultural Experiment Station; and Ryan Krogh, Global Product Family Business Manager - Combines & FEE, John Deere. The complete list of members includes:

• Andy Bater, Farmer, Fifth Estate Growers, LLC
• Timothy Bradford, Jr., Ph.D., Director of Agronomy, Vayda, Inc.
• Julie Bushell, Chief Executive Officer, Ethos Connected (representing Irrigation Association)
• Joseph M. Carey, Special Government Employee Heather Hampton+Knodle, Vice President & Secretary, Knodle Ltd. Farms
• Carolyn Price, Executive Director, Upstate New York Towns Association
• Brad Robison, Chief Executive Officer, Tallahatchie Valley Electric Power Association and Tallahatchie Valley Internet Services, LLC; President, MS Fiber (representing the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association)
• Joshua Seidemann, Vice President, Policy and Industry Innovation, NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association
• Joy Sterling, Chief Executive Officer, Iron Horse Vineyards
• Dan Watermeier, Commissioner, First District, Nebraska Public Service Commission
• Andy Berke, Administrator, Rural Utilities Service, United States Department of Agriculture, will serve as an ex-officio, nonvoting member of the Task Force.