On Oct. 3 and 4, the National Grange joined the U.S. Catteleman’s Association, Women Involved in Farm Economics and other rural group on Capitol Hill to advocate for affordable access to broadband in their communities. Over 150 individuals from 20 states came to deliver a message to their Congressional delegations, as well as their U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Interior.
While on Capitol Hill, participants held a press conference, featuring Rep. Heath Shuler (D-NC), and met with members of Congress, and the offices of Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, calling for policies that promote further expansion of high-speed internet to rural America. As part of their message, advocates stressed that increased access to high-speed broadband would spur job growth, attract new businesses and allow for the expansion of existing operations, and promote essential social benefits such as distance learning and remote healthcare services via telemedicine in rural communities throughout the country.
"Lack of access to high-speed broadband Internet puts rural munities across the country at a serious disadvantage," said Congressman Shuler (D-NC). "Broadband is the great economic and social equalizer of our time, and expanding high-speed internet access to rural America will give more communities the tools they need to create jobs, expand educational opportunities, and improve public safety and health care. Broadband will give small businesses in rural areas a pathway to participation in the global economy and provides the framework for long-term economic growth and stability for years to come."
Residents from regions all across the United States shared compelling stories about the impact of high-speed Internet while in Washington. For instance, Jon Chadwell, Executive Director of the Newport Economic Development Commission in Newport, Arkansas, spearheaded a project to expand high-speed Internet access to the local industrial park, home to three businesses that were losing clients due to a lack of access to broadband. As a result of Mr. Chadwell's work to connect the area to broadband Internet, the companies added a total of 325 local jobs in just six years.
"Regardless of location or occupation, the need for reliable, high-speed Internet, both wired and wireless, is something that everyone can agree on. In rural America in particular, there are acres of opportunity for economic growth, but greater access to next-generation technologies is key to capitalizing on these opportunities," said Jess Peterson, Executive Vice President of the U.S. Cattlemen's Association and a lead spokesman for the advocacy day. "Right now, Americans need jobs, and we need to make sure that all Americans have the tools to create and sustain them. I believe we successfully delivered that message to policymakers this week."
Today, some 26 million Americans in largely rural areas across the nation lack high-speed connections to the Internet and mobile broadband. The advocacy effort, a collaboration of members of the U.S. Cattlemen's Association, National Grange, Women Involved In Farm Economics (WIFE), local chambers of commerce, farmers, ranchers, small business owners, teachers, and others from across the country, with support from the Internet Innovation Alliance, allowed a diverse range of Americans to personally tell their unique stories about the transformative potential of high-speed broadband to Federal lawmakers.
"The National Grange has been advocating for affordable access to broadband in rural America for a long time," National Grange President Ed Luttrell said. "Never before in our efforts have we seen so many diverse organizations, telecommunications companies, and advocacy groups at the same table with the same commitment and vision. I believe the drumbeat of increased access to broadband in rural America has been heard in our Nation's capital this week."
Grange Briefs Congressional Staff on Broadband Build-Out, USF Reform
Soon rural America may enjoy the same technological advances as its urban counterparts as the fight for rural broadband progresses each day with the Grange as a main advocate.
On September 13, the National Grange participated in a briefing hosted by the Congressional Rural Caucus to discuss rural broadband build out.
Those presenting the briefing to Congressional staff included the National Grange, Western Telecommunications Alliance, Windstream, and USTelecom. National Grange Legislative Director Nicole Palya Wood represented the Grange as the briefing’s only rural advocacy group. Wood testified on behalf of the rural consumer, demonstrating the great need for broadband in rural areas.
A week later, a similar briefing was held by the Senate and the same parties arrived to participate once more.
The topic for both briefings was America’s Broadband Connectivity Plan, the proposal sent to the Federal Communications Commission by six of the nation’s leading internet providers that seeks to bring broadband to 4 million Americans dwelling in rural areas by reforming the use of the Universal Service Fund and the Intercarrier Compensation system.
The National Grange filed comment to the FCC in support of the plan as well, and backed up those comments in the briefings on Capitol Hill by stating, “that at no other time in the USF reform talks with the FCC, have so many of the key players involved been not only at the same table, but united under a consensus agreement.”
One of the primary goals of the ABC proposal is to modernize the USF without increasing its size and reforming the ICC system to eventually phase down charges between companies for handling traffic, benefitting both company and consumer. Modernizing the USF entails transitioning it over a 5-year period to focus exclusively on broadband development, giving virtually all Americans access to it, while also avoiding an increase in its $4.5 billion cost. Specifically, the proposal would prioritize the USF to target broadband development in regions where there is no incentive for private companies to begin providing services. Reforming the ICC would mean implementing, over a period of 5 to 8 years, a standard $0.0007 per minute intercarrier charge. Several parties, but mostly state governments, are opposed to this standard intercarrier charge, claiming that they have long held the authority to set this rate as they see fit. In the past, this service fee has ranged from tenths of a penny all the way to 35 cents, depending on the company and where the call is being transferred. The ABC plan would help to standardize this system.
Those in favor of the ABC proposal have responded to the concerns of the states by clarifying that despite this loss of authority, the current proposal is the best means of ensuring that broadband reaches rural America and underserved populations. According to Robert Mayer of USTelecom, state mandates can actually have unintended adverse consequences and “impede free-market forces by distorting economic signals, adding unnecessary costs for services.” Intrastate rates are one such unnecessary cost, as is the cost of being a “carrier of last resort,” another complaint by the states. ABC would also eliminate these “carrier of last resort” obligations, which require that companies who receive funding from the Universal Service Fund provide phone service to any customer who requests it. Yes, the proposal would eliminate such requirements, but it would also free those funds for the greater goal of bringing broadband to everyone more efficiently and effectively than those obligated companies ever could.
Nonetheless, the FCC has made clear that the proposal is just a starting point for broader discussions, but it is being considered which is a huge improvement from where the issue stood just months ago. Each organization brings to the table a different perspective and agenda, as we all represent different groups and regions of our great nation. As the discussion continues, more parties will arrive at the table to state their case as to whether or not this proposal should pass. Nonetheless, this proposal is a giant step in the right direction of fixing a broken system.
For questions or comments regarding the Grange’s stance on the ABC plan or any other Grange Policy , please contact the National Grange Legislative Department at 202-628-3507 ex. 107.
State Review
National Grange Talks Farm Bill with PA Farm Organizations
Our National Grange Legislative Director, Nicole Palya Wood, recently made a visit to Pennsylvania to serve on a panel focused on the new 2012 Farm Bill. The discussion was hosted by the Pennsylvania Council of Farm Organizations on September 19, led by National Grange Executive Committee member and PCFO President, Betsy Huber. The Council had invited representatives serving on both the Senate and House agricultural committees to hear their views on proposals for the new farm bill, as well as agricultural policy experts from the National Grange, the National Farmers Union, and the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.
The discussion centered around the current proposals being debated which already include drastic reductions to conservation, crop insurance, and disaster relief, and the elimination of direct and counter-cyclical payments. According to Mrs. Wood, when it comes to federal funding, the new 2012 Farm Bill could be “one of the most devastating farm bills in the last twenty years, and by far the leanest.” Numerous factors are contributing to its downfall, most notably the strained economy and a congressional desire to cut spending. Although the total annual farm bill accounts for only 2 percent of the federal domestic budget, and farm programs are only one quarter of 1 percent of the federal domestic budget, the debt debate is the greatest potential challenge for the agriculture committees, according to Jake Kuhns from Representative Holden’s office (D-PA). Kuhns went on to say; “the future of these programs is being decided outside of these authorizing committees,” and the Ag committees, who have the greatest knowledge of these programs, need to be involved in funding decisions.
All representatives present agreed that something must be done to sustain and improve the farm bill, and Liz Hermsen of Senator Bob Casey’s office assured the panel that the Senate Ag Committee has plans to construct a proposal to be sent to the new super committee on funding for agriculture programs. However, she did reiterate that “farmers were going to have to do more with less.” Representative Glenn Thompson (R-PA) added, “America is blessed with an affordable, high-quality and safe food supply, and I don’t want to compromise that.”
For updates on Grange legislative activities, CLICK HERE
IL Hosts U.S. House Agriculture Committee Field Hearing on Rural Broadband
On Saturday, September 24th, The U.S. House Agriculture, Subcommittee on Rural Development held a field hearing in Springfield, Illinois and Illinois Grange Legislative Director Marion Thornberry was there to cover the meeting.
The object of the meeting was to review the role of broadband access in rural economic development. Chairman, Tim Johnson (IL) and five Members of the Committee were in Springfield to hear testimony from a panel of witnesses on how access to rural broadband provides opportunities in healthcare, education, and market access. Those serving on the panel represented private enterprise, healthcare providers, local telephone cooperatives and educators. Although all highlighted the importance of how high-speed internet can level the playing field for rural Americans, all agreed that significant obstacles such as lack of infrastructure, and void of business incentive, threatens rural build-out due to the high costs associated with low-population areas. Other witnesses pointed out the problems with how different sectors of government define areas to be rural.
The consensus of the panel and committee was that in order for rural broadband to occur within the next 5 years, private and public partnerships must be formed to share the costs of infrastructure development.
On Oct. 3 and 4, the National Grange joined the U.S. Catteleman’s Association, Women Involved in Farm Economics and other rural group on Capitol Hill to advocate for affordable access to broadband in their communities. Over 150 individuals from 20 states came to deliver a message to their Congressional delegations, as well as their U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Interior. 
Those presenting the briefing to Congressional staff included the National Grange, Western Telecommunications Alliance, Windstream, and USTelecom. National Grange Legislative Director Nicole Palya Wood represented the Grange as the briefing’s only rural advocacy group. Wood testified on behalf of the rural consumer, demonstrating the great need for broadband in rural areas.