Farm Bill Primer: Rural Broadband Provisions
Updated December 22, 2023
Farm Bill Primer: Rural Broadband Provisions
Since 2002, Congress has included provisions addressing
maintenance, and expansion of broadband and telephone
rural broadband (i.e., high-speed internet access) in the
service in rural areas (7 U.S.C. §935).
rural development title of farm bills. The Agriculture
Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 farm bill; P.L. 115-334)
These programs support the broadband deployment in rural
amended, reauthorized, and codified many of the rural
areas. Many of these programs define a rural area in statute
broadband programs administered by the U.S. Department
as any area not located within (1) a city, town, or
of Agriculture (USDA) through FY2023. As a result, many
incorporated area that has a population of greater than
of the USDA rural broadband programs expired on
20,000, or (2) an urbanized area contiguous and adjacent to
September 30, 2023. Congress enacted a one-year extension
a city or town that has a population of greater than 50,000
of the 2018 farm bill through P.L. 118-22 (§102, Division
inhabitants (7 U.S.C. §950bb(b)(3)(A)).
B), which extended authorization of appropriations through
FY2024. As a result, many of the USDA broadband
Congress provides discretionary funding for the USDA
programs are set to expire on September 30, 2024.
broadband programs through annual appropriations acts.
Congress has also provided additional funding for the
This In Focus provides background information on USDA
programs through supplemental appropriations laws such as
rural broadband programs, an overview of selected
the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (P.L. 117-58).
provisions in the 2018 farm bill, and issues for Congress as
it drafts the next farm bill.
2018 Farm Bill Provisions
Title VI—Rural Development of the 2018 farm bill
Background
includes the following rural broadband provisions.
According to a 2021 Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) report, about 11 million or 17% of people living in
Community Connect Grant Program
rural areas in the United States lack broadband access at
Congress codified the Community Connect Grant Program.
speeds of at least 25 megabits per second download and 3
Congress authorized appropriations of $50 million annually
megabits per second upload (i.e., 25/3 Mbps). The FCC
for the program through FY2024.
found that 750,000 or 36% of people living on rural tribal
lands lack broadband service.
Distance Learning and Telemedicine Program
Congress required USDA to set aside at least 20% of the
The USDA Rural Utilities Service administers five
funding for the Distance Learning and Telemedicine
programs to support broadband deployment in rural areas:
Program for telemedicine projects that provide substance
abuse treatment services through FY2025. Congress
• The Community Connect Grant Program, which
increased the authorization of appropriations for the
provides grants to deploy broadband to economically
program from $75 million to $82 million annually through
distressed communities and their essential community
FY2024.
facilities (7 U.S.C. §950bb-3);
Rural Broadband Program
• The Distance Learning and Telemedicine Program,
Congress added a grant component to the Rural Broadband
which provides grants to help rural communities acquire
Program. Prior to the 2018 farm bill, the program authority
the technology and training to connect educational and
was limited to loans and loan guarantees. To date, Congress
medical professionals with students, teachers, and
has provided funding for loans and loan guarantees but not
patients in rural areas (7 U.S.C. §950aaa-2);
for grants.
• The ReConnect Program, which provides grants, loans,
Congress directed USDA to prioritize funding for
and loan-grant combinations to build and update
applications for projects that serve rural communities
facilities or equipment needed to provide broadband
without broadband service to homes of at least 10 megabits
access to rural areas (7 U.S.C. §§901 et seq.);
per second download and 1 megabit per second upload
(10/1 Mbps). Congress also required USDA to prioritize
• The Rural Broadband Program, which provides loans
applications for projects that provide broadband service to
and loan guarantees to construct or improve facilities
rural communities with other characteristics such as a
and equipment used to provide broadband access to
population of less than 10,000 permanent residents,
rural areas (7 U.S.C. §950bb); and
experiencing outmigration, isolated from other population
centers, or with a high percentage of low-income families
• The Telecommunications Infrastructure Program, which
or people.
provides loans and loan guarantees for the construction,
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Farm Bill Primer: Rural Broadband Provisions
Congress increased the authorization of appropriations for
telecommunications companies, utilities, and policy
the program from $25 million to $350 million annually
experts.
through FY2024.
Considerations for Congress
Other Rural Broadband Provisions
The rural development title in the 2018 farm bill also
Eligible Service Areas
includes the following broadband provisions.
Many of the USDA broadband programs help to deploy
broadband to rural areas without access to broadband. The
• Innovative Broadband Advancement Program.
programs provide a broadband service threshold to
Congress reauthorized the Rural Gigabit Network Pilot
determine which rural areas are without sufficient
and renamed it the Innovative Broadband Advancement
broadband access. For example, the Community Connect
Program. The program is authorized to provide loans
Grant Program defines sufficient broadband access as
and grants for projects that demonstrate innovative
broadband service of at least 25/3 Mbps (88 Federal
broadband technologies that decrease costs and increase
Register 16579). Therefore, rural areas with broadband
broadband service speeds in rural areas (7 U.S.C.
service of less than 25/3 Mbps are eligible service areas for
§950bb-2). Congress provided authorization of
the Community Connect Grant Program. The ReConnect
appropriations of $10 million annually though FY2024.
Program defines sufficient broadband access as broadband
To date, Congress has not funded this program.
service of at least 100/20 Mbps (87 Federal Register
47690). The differing definitions of sufficient broadband
• Middle Mile Infrastructure. Congress established a
access may lead to confusion among applicants. Congress
new program to provide grants, loans, and loan
might consider using one definition of sufficient broadband
guarantees for middle mile broadband infrastructure
access across all USDA broadband programs.
projects in rural areas (7 U.S.C. §950bb-1). Congress
defined middle mile infrastructure as “any broadband
Broadband Service
infrastructure that does not connect directly to end-user
Many of the USDA broadband programs require that
locations (including anchor institutions) and may
applicants provide access to broadband service to the
include interoffice transport, backhaul, internet
proposed service area at the completion of their projects.
connectivity, data centers, or special access transport to
The level of broadband service provided to the service areas
rural areas” (7 U.S.C. §950bb-1(b)). Congress provided
changes depending on the USDA broadband program. For
authorization of appropriations for the program of $10
example, the Community Connect Grant Program requires
million annually through FY2024. To date, Congress
applicants to provide broadband service at 100/20 Mbps to
has not funded this program.
the service area (88 Federal Register 16579). The
ReConnect Program requires applicants to provide
• USDA, NTIA, and FCC. Congress directed USDA to
broadband service at 100/100 Mbps to the service area (87
consult with the National Telecommunications and
Federal Register 47690). The differing requirements of
Information Administration (NTIA) to verify applicant
broadband service to the service areas may confuse
eligibility for USDA broadband programs, using the
applicants. Congress might consider the benefits and
broadband assessment and mapping data provided by
drawbacks of requiring all USDA broadband programs to
NTIA (7 U.S.C. §950bb-6(a)). Congress also directed
provide the same level of broadband service to the service
USDA to coordinate with the FCC to ensure there is no
areas.
duplication of awards across USDA and FCC programs
(7 U.S.C. §950bb-6(b)).
ReConnect Program
Congress established the ReConnect Program as a pilot in
• Public Database. Congress directed the Secretary of
the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug
Agriculture to make available to the public a searchable
Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act,
database on the Rural Utilities Service website (7 U.S.C.
2018 (P.L. 115-141) under the general statutory authority
§950cc). The database is to include information on
provided to USDA through Title 7, Section 901 et seq. in
applications submitted to USDA broadband programs
the U.S. Code. Congress might consider the advantages and
that provide broadband to end users, such as homes and
disadvantages of codifying the ReConnect Program in the
businesses. The database is also to identify the
next farm bill.
applicants that received funding.
Program Oversight
• Working Group. Congress established the Rural
Since 2018, Congress has allocated more than $4 billion to
Broadband Integration Working Group to identify and
the ReConnect Program and other USDA programs to
assess barriers and opportunities for broadband
deploy broadband to rural communities through annual
deployment in U.S. rural areas and possible plans of
appropriations acts and supplemental appropriations bills
action (7 U.S.C. §950bb note). The working group is to
such as P.L. 117-58. Congress might consider requiring
include heads or their designees of more than 20 federal
USDA to publicly post annual reports on the progress of
departments, councils, and agencies, including USDA,
projects funded through USDA broadband programs.
the Department of Commerce, the Department of
Defense, and the Department of State. Congress directed
Lisa S. Benson, Specialist in Agricultural Policy
the working group to consult with stakeholders such as
state governments, tribal governments,
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Farm Bill Primer: Rural Broadband Provisions
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