Rural Development (USDA )

2023 Federal Broadband Funding Report

This is the third Federal Broadband Funding Report produced by NTIA, showing fiscal year (FY) 2022 data reported by 12 agencies across 70 programs making investments in broadband. This is the first Federal Broadband Funding Report to highlight trends across three fiscal years of data collected. For the first time, this report not only will release a dashboard of major findings but will also include a comprehensive view of broadband investment data reported across the last three data collections—reflecting broadband investments from FY 2020 to 2022.

Memorandum of Understanding Regarding Information Sharing Between FCC, USAD, NTIA, and the US Treasury

The  Federal Communications Commission, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, and the U.S. Department of the Treasury (Covered Agencies) agree as follows:

USDA ReConnect Program working to bring internet to rural areas

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) highlighted the recent investment of billions in grants and loans to provide reliable, affordable high-speed internet to thousands of rural residents, farmers, and business owners across rural America.

USDA Providing $25 Million to Local Organizations, Cooperatives and Tribes for Broadband Technical Assistance

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Under Secretary Dr. Basil Gooden announced today that USDA is making available $25 million through the Broadband Technical Assistance (BTA) Program to help local organizations, cooperatives and Tribes expand affordable, high-speed internet projects in rural communities. Funding is made possible by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021.

Alaska broadband company MTA says FTTH costs $9,000 per passing

If there are any telephone companies in the US that are experts at closing the digital divide it’s the ones in Alaska. The state encompasses 663,267 square miles, which is more than Texas, California and Montana combined. And Alaska’s MTA has been connecting citizens of the state for over 70 years, so it has a lot of experience.

Our Balkanized Broadband Leadership

Congress inserted an interesting requirement into the bill that reauthorizes the funding for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Both the House and Senate added language that would require that a national broadband plan be created that would try to put the Federal Communications Commission, the NTIA, US Department of Agriculture, and other agencies on the same page.

The Biden-⁠Harris Administration Highlights Investments in Rural America, Invites Public Nominations for Rural Innovators Initiative

On May 14, the Biden-Harris Administration hosted a Rural Communities in Action event at the White House to highlight how the Administration is investing in rural communities.

FCC Waives Enhanced A-CAM Rule to Facilitate Deployment in West Virginia

The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) waives the FCC’s rules, on its own accord, to include in West Side Telephone Company’s (West Side’s) Enhanced Alternative Connect America Model (Enhanced A-CAM) offer locations that would otherwise have been treated as served by a competitor due to a federally enforceable commitment by ClearFiber. This limited waiver applies only to the locations within West Side’s West Virginia study area where ClearFiber is no longer subject to a

Stronger Together

The Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration (EDA) and the Department of Agriculture's Rural Development (USDA RD) offer this joint planning resource guide, designed to help you eliminate barriers and encourage collaboration among your stakeholders. The guide is separated into four key focus areas including infrastructure and high-speed internet expansion.

Chairwoman Stabenow Unveils the Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act

Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) unveiled the Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act, which contains more than 100 bipartisan bills and puts the 2024 Farm Bill back on track to being signed into law by the end of 2024. The Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act reflects more than two years of bipartisan work on the Senate Agriculture Committee and incorporates more than 100 bipartisan bills and the work of Senators on and off the Committee.