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Promoting Precision Agriculture Act
4/1/2025, 8:06 AM
Summary of Bill HR 1985
The bill seeks to improve broadband internet access in rural areas, where many farms are located, in order to support the implementation of precision agriculture technology. By expanding access to high-speed internet, farmers will be better able to utilize tools like drones, automated tractors, and data analytics to improve crop yields and reduce environmental impact.
Additionally, the bill includes provisions to establish a task force to study and make recommendations on how to best integrate precision agriculture into existing farm programs and policies. This task force will also work to identify barriers to adoption and develop strategies to overcome them. Overall, the Precision Agriculture Connectivity Act of 2021 aims to modernize and enhance the agricultural industry in the United States by promoting the use of cutting-edge technology and improving access to essential resources for farmers.
Congressional Summary of HR 1985
Promoting Precision Agriculture Act
This bill requires the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to develop voluntary standards for precision agriculture (i.e., managing, tracking, or reducing crop or livestock production inputs, including seed, feed, fertilizer, chemicals, water, and time at a heightened level of spatial and temporal granularity to improve efficiencies, reduce waste, and maintain environmental quality).
USDA, in consultation with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), must develop voluntary, consensus-based, private sector-led interconnectivity standards, guidelines, and best practices for precision agriculture to promote economies of scale and ease the burden of adoption. USDA must (1) coordinate with relevant public and trusted private sector stakeholders and relevant industry organizations, and (2) consult with sector-specific agencies and state and local governments.
Further, in developing the standards, USDA must, in consultation with NIST and the FCC, consider the
- connectivity needs of precision agriculture equipment,
- cybersecurity challenges facing precision agriculture, and
- impact of artificial intelligence on this area.
The Government Accountability Office must periodically assess and report to Congress on the standards.
