Highlights from the Communications and Technology Subcommittee Field Hearing on Increasing Rural Broadband Access

The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology held a field hearing in Bakersfield, California, last week. Members spoke with local leaders about ongoing challenges with meaningful connectivity in rural communities and how we can close the digital divide.

In Bakersfield specifically, rural farmers use internet access to enhance their farming process. As Communications and Technology Vice Chair Randy Weber (R-TX) said, “Broadband connectivity enables some of the greatest technologies that we have today. Precision agriculture is increasing crop yield and decreasing the resources required for all sorts of farming. Access to broadband internet is providing new opportunities to rural communities for innovation: from drones used to monitor crop health to autonomous tractors.”

Check out these stories from the hearing:

“At a nearly two-hour field hearing inside the Mechanics Bank Convention Center, Central Valley farming representatives joined rural internet service providers in highlighting the importance of high-speed connectivity to precision agriculture as well as poor communities reliant on computers for health care, education and remote work.” 

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“Two farming industry representatives called to testify before the committee explained how so-called precision agriculture requires high-speed internet to sustain technological advancements that have increased yield while reducing need for water and materials such as pesticides. 

“‘None of it would be possible without broadband and high-speed broadband,’ said Don Cameron, vice president and general manager of Terranova Ranch, a specialty crop operation located southwest of Fresno. Beyond its value in ag, he noted, broadband access helps deliver lessons to schoolchildren.” 

“A delegation of U.S. congress members part of the Congressional Western Caucus and House Energy and Commerce Committee was in Kern County Friday.  

“Friday morning, in Bakersfield, they held a field hearing to discuss how to expand broadband — or high-speed internet — access to rural communities, like many in Kern.” 

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“Rep. Jay Obernolte: ‘Our children are not going to succeed in 21st century America with the knowledge necessary and the job skills necessary,’ said Rep. Jay Obernolte (R-Big Bear Lake). ‘We’re not going to be able to do that without finishing the job of extending broadband.’

“Obernolte also noted with AI being an inseparable part of the near future, children must be adapted to modern technology.”

“Don Cameron, General Manager for Terranova Ranch was one of the four people that testified on Friday. In his eyes, as the world progressively gets smarter, so has farming, which means internet connectivity needs to keep up.

“‘The hope is that we will have high-speed internet, the money that's being allocated will get to the last mile, that will get to the farm and we will be able to join the rest of the world with high-speed internet,’ said Cameron.

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“In turn, the federal government is putting money towards bridging that digital divide, but all across the country, the question now is how that money gets spent.”

From left to right: Reps. Randy Weber (R-TX), Russ Fulcher (R-ID), and Jay Obernolte (R-CA)

From left to right: Reps. John Duarte (R-CA), Burgess Owens (R-UT), and David Valadao (R-CA)

CLICK HERE to watch the hearing.

CLICK HERE to read Rep. Weber’s opening statement.