Tom Vilsack Secretary of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) | Official Website
USDA Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small announced that the USDA is partnering with rural cooperatives, local organizations, and Tribes to support high-speed internet deployment in 11 states. The $5.2 million in cooperative agreements awarded through the Broadband Technical Assistance Program, funded by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, aims to connect every community in America with affordable, reliable high-speed internet.
Speaking at the Texas Hispanic Farmers and Ranchers Conference, Deputy Secretary Torres Small emphasized the importance of keeping rural America connected. She stated, “Through President Biden’s historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, USDA is partnering with small towns, cooperatives, local utilities, and private companies working to ensure that people, no matter where they live, have access to high-speed internet.”
The Broadband Technical Assistance Program provides funding for feasibility studies, network designs, hiring efforts, application development assistance, and more to expand high-speed internet into rural and Tribal communities. Projects in states like Texas, Missouri, and Alaska are set to receive funding to support community planning, economic analysis studies, and technical design studies to promote and expand high-speed internet access.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law allocates $65 billion to ensure affordable, reliable high-speed internet access for all Americans, aiming to close the digital divide and lower costs for internet service. USDA Rural Development plays a key role in providing loans and grants to expand economic opportunities, create jobs, and improve quality of life in rural areas, including supporting infrastructure improvements and high-speed internet access.
In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is focused on transforming America’s food system, ensuring access to healthy food, making investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and promoting equity across the Department. For more information on USDA’s initiatives and programs, visit www.usda.gov.
