Rural Broadband Will Be Focus Of AFBF Convention

The American Farm Bureau Federation virtual convention kicked off Sunday. And while the four day event will include many of the same features farmers and ranchers enjoy year after year, attendance is on-line, which presents a challenge for many in rural America. AFBF President Zippy Duvall said the virtual event reaffirms the need for expanding rural broadband.

“We’ve always known that there was a great divide between rural and urban parts of our country when it comes to broadband," Duvall noted. "Broadband is not a luxury anymore, it’s a necessity. And for farmers and ranchers to be able to access all the new technologies that are being delivered to the farm for us to be efficient and on the cutting edge and competitive with the rest of the world, we have to have broadband. Our rural communities deserve, and our farmers and ranchers deserve to have the healthcare that’s delivered through broadband, and our children, they deserve to have the opportunity to educate themselves through broadband.”

Farm Bureau, Duvall noted, has taken steps to make accessing the convention easier, including free registration and all the content will be available for 90 after the convention. And, despite those rural broadband challenges, AFBF expects a record attendance.

Still, Duvall said the COVID-19 pandemic has further shown how important rural broadband is.

“And we’re looking forward to being able to close that great divide, and be able to complete the grid of broadband across the country. It is something we need to focus on because this pandemic has risen the alarm that there is a great divide, and we all deserve it just like we did when it was electrification back in the 30’s and 40’s.”

Click Here to learn more about this year’s convention. And remember, you can participate in this year's convention for free.

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