A number of communications experts have told Congressional staffers bringing broadband access and and Internet service to rural America is key to effective rural economic development.
In a Washington, D.C. meeting sponsored by the National Grange and the Grange Foundation, National Grange President William Steel told attendees, "A keystone infrastructure for rural communities in the 21st Century will be access to advanced telecommunications services like broadband and the Internet."
He then called for Congress to implement a basic rural telecommunications plan that deploys universal rural broadband for all citizens.
While the U.S. House version of the new Farm Bill, passed recently, did not address rural communication issues, broadband access is expected to be included in the Senate version of the legislation to be debated in the coming weeks.
Rural residents, regardless if they farm or not, can comment on the rural broadband access provisions to their U.S. Senators at www.congress.org.
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