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Bill
Notes

S. 2343 — what changed

Precision Agriculture Connectivity Act of 2018

From Reported in Senate to Engrossed in Senate. 2 sections amended between Reported in Senate and Engrossed in Senate.

Sec. 2 Findings

Congress finds the following:

(1)
Precision agriculture technologies and practices allow farmers to significantly increase crop yields, eliminate overlap in operations, and reduce inputs such as seed, fertilizer, pesticides, water, and fuel.
(2)
These technologies allow farmers to collect data in real time about their fields, automate field management, and maximize resources.
(3)
Studies estimate that precision agriculture technologies can reduce agricultural operation costs by up to 25 dollars per acre and increase farm yields by up to 70 percent by 2050.
(4)
changed The critical cost savings and productivity benefits of precision agriculture cannot be realized without the availability of reliable broadband Internet access service delivered to the cropland and ranchland agricultural land of the United States.
(5)
changed The deployment of broadband Internet access service to unserved and underserved cropland and ranchland agricultural land is critical to the United States economy and to the continued leadership of the United States in global food production.
(6)
changed Despite the growing demand for broadband Internet access service on cropland and ranchland, agricultural land, broadband Internet access service is not consistently available where needed for agricultural operations.
(7)
changed The Federal Communications Commission has an important role to play in the deployment of broadband Internet access service infrastructure on unserved and underserved cropland and ranchland agricultural land to promote precision agriculture.

Sec. 3 Task force

(a)
added Definitions— In this section—
(a)
removed Definitions—
(1)
removed In general— In this section—
(1)
renumbered was (2)(2)(3) the term broadband Internet access service has the meaning given the term in section 8.2 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation;
(2)
renumbered was (2)(2)(4) the term Commission means the Federal Communications Commission;
(3)
renumbered was (2)(2)(5) the term Department means the Department of Agriculture;
(4)
renumbered was (2)(2)(6) the term Secretary means the Secretary of Agriculture; and
(5)
added the term Task Force means the Task Force for Reviewing the Connectivity and Technology Needs of Precision Agriculture in the United States established under subsection (b).
(E)
removed the term Task Force means the Task Force for Meeting the Connectivity and Technology Needs of Precision Agriculture in the United States, as established under subsection (b).
(2)
removed Agricultural terms— For purposes of this Act, the Secretary shall define the terms agricultural operations, cropland, and ranchland.
(b)
changed Establishment— Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall establish the Task Force for Meeting Reviewing the Connectivity and Technology Needs of Precision Agriculture in the United States.
(c)
Duties—
(1)
changed In general— The Task Force shall collaborate consult with the Secretary Secretary, or a designee of the Secretary, and collaborate with public and private stakeholders in the agriculture and technology fields to—
(A)
changed identify and measure current gaps in the availability of broadband Internet access service coverage of cropland and ranchland;on agricultural land;
(B)
changed assemble a comprehensive guide of all Federal programs or resources working develop policy recommendations to expand promote the rapid, expanded deployment of broadband Internet access service on unserved cropland and ranchland;agricultural land, with a goal of achieving reliable capabilities on 95 percent of agricultural land in the United States by 2025;
(C)
removed develop policy recommendations to promote the rapid, expanded deployment of fixed and mobile broadband Internet access service on unserved croplands and ranchlands, with a goal of achieving reliable service on 95 percent of croplands and ranchlands in the United States by 2025;
(C)
renumbered was (4)(2)(6) promote effective policy and regulatory solutions that encourage the adoption of broadband Internet access service on farms and ranches and promote precision agriculture;
(D)
added recommend specific new rules or amendments to existing rules of the Commission that the Commission should issue to achieve the goals and purposes of the policy recommendations described in subparagraph (B);
(E)
changed propose new rules of recommend specific steps that the Commission or amendments should take to existing rules obtain reliable and standardized data measurements of the availability of broadband Internet access service as may be necessary to target funding support, from future programs of the Commission dedicated to achieve the goals and purposes described deployment of broadband Internet access service, to unserved agricultural land in subparagraph (C);need of broadband Internet access service; and
(F)
changed recommend specific steps that the Commission and other Federal agencies should take consider to obtain reliable ensure that the expertise of the Secretary and standardized available farm data measurements are reflected in future programs of the Commission dedicated to the infrastructure deployment of broadband Internet access service coverage as may be necessary and to target direct available funding support to unserved croplands and ranchlands in need of broadband Internet access service; andagricultural land where needed.
(G)
removed recommend specific steps that the Commission should take to ensure that the expertise of the Secretary and available farm data are reflected in developing Federal programs to deploy broadband Internet access service infrastructure and to direct available funding to unserved croplands and ranchlands where needed.
(2)
changed Consultation—No duplicate data reporting— The Task Force shall consult with In performing the Secretary to develop recommendations for duties of the Commission that utilize under paragraph (1), the expertise, data mapping information, and resources Commission shall ensure that no provider of broadband Internet access service is required to report data to the Department Commission that is, on the Department uses day before the date of enactment of this Act, required to identify croplands, ranchlands, and other areas with agricultural operations.be reported by the provider of broadband Internet access service.
(3)
added Hold harmless— The Task Force and the Commission shall not interpret the phrase “future programs of the Commission”, as used in subparagraphs (E) and (F) of paragraph (1), to include the universal service programs of the Commission established under section 254 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 254).
(4)
added Consultation— The Secretary, or a designee of the Secretary, shall explain and make available to the Task Force the expertise, data mapping information, and resources of the Department that the Department uses to identify cropland, ranchland, and other areas with agricultural operations that may be helpful in developing the recommendations required under paragraph (1).
(5)
added List of available Federal programs and resources— Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary and the Commission shall jointly submit to the Task Force a list of all Federal programs or resources available for the expansion of broadband Internet access service on unserved agricultural land to assist the Task Force in carrying out the duties of the Task Force.
(d)
added Membership—
(1)
added In general— The Task Force shall be—
(A)
added composed of not more than 15 voting members who shall—
(i)
added be selected by the Chairman of the Commission; and
(d)
removed Membership— The Task Force shall be—
(1)
removed composed of not more than 15 members who shall—
(A)
removed be selected by the Chairman of the Commission in consultation with appropriate staff of the Commission and with the Secretary; and
(ii)
renumbered was (5)(3)(3) include—
(I)
renumbered was (5)(3)(3)(2) agricultural producers representing diverse geographic regions and farm sizes, including owners and operators of farms of less than 100 acres;
(II)
added an agricultural producer representing tribal agriculture;
(III)
renumbered was (5)(3)(3)(3) Internet service providers, including regional or rural fixed and mobile broadband Internet access service providers and telecommunications infrastructure providers;
(IV)
added representatives from the electric cooperative industry;
(V)
renumbered was (5)(3)(3)(4) representatives from the satellite industry;
(VI)
renumbered was (5)(3)(3)(5) representatives from precision agriculture equipment manufacturers, including drone manufacturers, manufacturers of autonomous agricultural machinery, and manufacturers of farming robotics technologies; and
(VII)
renumbered was (5)(3)(3)(6) representatives from State and local governments; and
(B)
renumbered was (5)(4) fairly balanced in terms of technologies, points of view, and fields represented on the Task Force.
(2)
added Period of appointment; vacancies—
(A)
added In general— A member of the Committee appointed under paragraph (1)(A) shall serve for a single term of 2 years.
(B)
added Vacancies— Any vacancy in the Task Force—
(i)
added shall not affect the powers of the Task Force; and
(ii)
added shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.
(3)
added Ex-officio member— The Secretary, or a designee of the Secretary, shall serve as an ex-officio, nonvoting member of the Task Force.
(e)
changed Reports— Not later than 1 year after the date on which the Commission establishes the Task Force, and annually thereafter, the Commission Task Force shall submit to Congress the Chairman of the Commission a report report, which shall be made public not later than 30 days after the date on which the Chairman receives the report, that details—
(1)
changed the status of fixed and mobile broadband Internet access service coverage of croplands and ranchlands;agricultural land;
(2)
the projected future connectivity needs of agricultural operations, farmers, and ranchers; and
(3)
changed the steps being taken to accurately measure the availability of high speed broadband Internet access service on croplands and ranchlands agricultural land and the limitations of current, as of the date of the report, measurement processes.
(f)
changed Existing funds—Termination— The Commission shall use existing funds of the Commission to carry out renew the Task Force and the duties of every 2 years until the Commission under this section.Task Force terminates on January 1, 2025.
(g)
removed Termination— The Task Force shall terminate on January 1, 2025.