WASHINGTON – Tuesday, U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, reintroduced her Precision Ag Package—three pieces of legislation that will help America’s producers harness the full potential of precision agriculture.
“Precision agriculture equipment enables America’s farmers and ranchers to be stronger stewards of the land; however, high upfront costs and a lack of rural broadband connectivity create frustrating barriers to entry. My bipartisan Precision Ag Package would improve producers’ access to these exciting, innovative tools making their operations more productive, efficient, and less resource-intensive,” said Fischer.
PRECISE Act:
The Producing Responsible Energy and Conservation Incentives and Solutions for the Environment (PRECISE) Act would provide a suite of financial tools to help farmers and ranchers of all sizes increase their adoption of precision ag technologies through existing U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) conservation programs. U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, co-led the introduction of the legislation.
“Precision agriculture tools like soil mapping and aerial imagery technologies help lower costs for farmers, improve productivity, and benefit the environment. That’s why it’s critical that more farmers can access and benefit from precision ag technologies. Our bipartisan bill will give farmers and ranchers the resources they need to invest in precision ag tools,” said Klobuchar.
Click here to read a one-pager summarizing the PRECISE Act.
Click here to read the full text of the bill.
LAST ACRE Act:
The Linking Access to Spur Technology for Agriculture Connectivity in Rural Environments (LAST ACRE) Act would create a new Last Acre Program at the USDA Office of Rural Development aiming to expand network connectivity across farmland and ranchland. Existing Rural Development programs support “last mile” broadband deployment, which connects broadband networks to single-point rural locations, like households or businesses. However, as the Government Accountability Office has found, USDA lacks a program focused on extending connectivity across rural acreage, reaching the “last acre.” This last acre connectivity is fundamental for farmers and ranchers looking to use precision agriculture technologies in their operations. U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) co-led the introduction of the legislation.
“I’m proud to join Senator Fischer in introducing legislation that will help deliver broadband access to farms and ranches in remote parts of the country. With nearly one in four zip codes in New Mexico being considered remote, the LAST ACRE Act will help connect our farms and ranches in remote areas so they can power precision agriculture and next-generation farming technology. This legislation is a critical investment in the future of rural America,” said Luján.
Click here to read a one-pager summarizing the LAST ACRE Act.
Click here to read the full text of the bill.
PAL Act:
The Precision Agriculture Loan (PAL) Act would create a program within USDA to provide loan financing to farmers and ranchers interested in purchasing precision agriculture equipment. U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) co-led the introduction of the legislation.
“Farmers in Georgia are the backbone of our state’s economy, and despite working in an ever-changing industry for thin margins, year after year, they continue to provide food to feed our families. We need to do all we can to make their jobs easier, which is why the Precision Agriculture Loan Act is so important. It would offer low-cost and long-term loans to farmers who want to adopt precision agriculture technologies but cannot afford to do so through traditional financing. Supporting our nation’s farmers shouldn’t be a partisan issue, and I’m proud to work alongside Senator Deb Fischer to get this done,” said Warnock.
Click here to read a one-pager summarizing the PAL Act.
Click here to read the full text of the bill.
