How the widespread availability of high-speed internet could help feed the planet

By WP BrandStudio

American farmers, like others living in rural communities, have unique obstacles to broadband access. But a new push to expand coverage is helping our farmers get online—and, in turn, ushering in an era of ag tech innovation that may help transform farming as we know it.

The last few years have been a turbulent time for America’s farmers, with a variety of global health and weather events posing challenges to many food producers, and fundamentally disrupting agricultural supply chains, as well as the demand for commodities. This in addition to the enduring effects of national trade policy and an evolving workforce. Yet amid this turmoil, some farmers are dealing with an even more basic challenge: they can’t get good internet.

Rural communities have long faced obstacles to online access. And this digital divide has acutely affected the nation’s farmers. According to a 2019 study, 60 percent of U.S. farmers do not have the connectivity necessary to sufficiently run their businesses, with many relying on cell phone signals or hotspots. A full 25 percent of U.S. farms do not have internet at all.

“The most immediate and most urgent investment that must be made as a country is in broadband and technology in rural communities,” said Beth Ford, president and CEO of Land O’Lakes, Inc., in a recent live event in partnership with the Washington Post. “We must have the operating environment stabilized by having investment in these communities because, without that, you cannot have a stable agricultural community.” Without a stable agriculture community, the ripple effects are potentially serious. Access to safe, affordable, and plentiful food that benefits many is jeopardized.

Getting farmers on the grid could do more than simply help stabilize a vulnerable community, however; it could be the salve for supporting farming communities today and for the future. Modern technologies like data analytics and robotics have the capacity to transform the agricultural sector. Already, these innovations are helping farmers increase yield potential and plant more efficiently—that is, for those who have a reliable broadband connection.

The geography of the digital divide

Although the proportion of rural American households with broadband internet connection has nearly doubled since 2007, geography remains a huge factor in digital access. Rural Americans are now 12 percent less likely than their urban and suburban counterparts to have home broadband. In 2007, it was 16 percent. In all, 14 million people living in rural areas do not have access to high-speed connections.

On some level, the challenge of expanding internet access boils down to simple economics. Regardless of location, it’s expensive for providers to install the underground fiber-optic cables that power the fastest broadband networks. In rural areas, where there are fewer potential customers, companies have less incentive to build, maintain or upgrade infrastructure.

Meanwhile, the data on digital access are poor. The scope of the problem is like an iceberg. While there is awareness, the depth of the issue isn’t generally understood.

Initiatives like Land O’Lakes’ American Connection Project are aiming to overcome these obstacles. The project includes a coalition of organizations across various industries, pushing for significant broadband infrastructure investment in rural areas at both the state and federal level. At various times, some members of the coalition have even offered direct support by establishing free Wi-Fi access points to residents in dozens of rural communities around the country as life has shifted increasingly online.

“If there were a time to band together with and for our rural neighbors — many of whom are critical to feeding our nation — now is that time,” said Ford of Land O’Lakes. “We are proud to take the step along with many partners to bridge the gap and provide this critical service to these communities during this crisis. But our efforts now are only a short-term solution for a much bigger problem that people in our rural communities face, even when we are not experiencing a viral pandemic.”

The company is motivated in part by the need to support its members. Land O’Lakes is one of the largest member-owned cooperatives in the country, comprising more than 1,700 dairy producers, more than 700 row-crop farmers and nearly 1,000 agriculture retailers. Some of these members know firsthand the challenges of maintaining a sustainable agricultural business without reliable internet. But they also know the immense benefits that connectivity—and the advanced digital technologies that are powered by it—can provide.

The ag tech revolution 

The pressures on American farmers are only going to increase in the years to come. The global population is expected to balloon by some 2 billion people over the next three decades. The rise in the number of mouths to feed coupled with growing prosperity around the world means that agricultural production must increase by 60 percent in order to meet global food demands. At the same time, however, compounded climate factors—more frequent and intense droughts, heat waves and flooding—present new challenges for farmers.

Agricultural technology is the key to increasing yield potential without overtaxing natural resources. Some of these innovations have come in the form of digital tools that rely on speedy internet. Take Land O’Lakes’ sustainability business, Truterra, LLC, for example. The platform helps crop farmers measure and track performance on a given plot of land. Evaluating everything from soil quality to wind erosion, the data-driven tool ultimately provides recommendations on how to maximize productivity while helping to safeguard environmental resources.

Dairy farmers have their own digital applications to help make production more efficient. This includes smartphone apps to track the health, nutrition levels and milk production of individual dairy cattle—think Fitbit for bovines. Robotic milkers also comfort cows and optimize their milk output. These are tech-driven innovations that are powered by strong broadband access that help improve the information and keep better track of the herds that are helping to feed American citizens.

These groundbreaking innovations, however, won’t be adopted widely unless we solve the problem of internet inequality. Land O’Lakes estimates that bridging this digital divide will require a national investment of about $100 billion. And while it may seem like a high price, it’s one that Ford and other advocates believe the country can’t afford not to pay.

“I wish I had a magic answer. I really do,” Ford said. “Food supply, to me, it is a pillar of our national security. What I do know is we need to make some structural changes to make sure we’re investing appropriately at the farm level and beyond.”

This content is paid for by an advertiser and published by WP BrandStudio. The Washington Post newsroom was not involved in the creation of this content. Learn more about WP BrandStudio.

Content From