FCC: Broadband Access Boosts Crop Production, Cuts Costs
By Ben Nuelle, Agri Pulse
Increased availability of high-speed internet in rural areas can help boost crop yields and lower fertilizer, seed, and fuel costs, according to a Federal Communications Commission study.
The report, “Impact of Broadband Penetration on U.S. Farm Productivity,” drew from FCC and Department of Agriculture county-level data on field crops like corn, cotton, hay, and soybeans.
The report found that a 1% increase in the number of high-speed internet connections (service speeds of at least 25 megabits per second (mbps) download and 3 mbps upload) per 1,000 households would lead to a 3.6% increase in corn yields and 3.8% increase in soybean yields.