The LAST ACRE Act establishes a federal grant and loan program to expand high-speed internet access to farms and agricultural land that currently lack adequate broadband service. The program, administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, will prioritize unserved and underserved farmland by offering competitive funding to broadband providers who commit to delivering internet speeds of at least 100 megabits per second download and 20 megabits per second upload to agricultural properties, farm equipment like tractors and irrigation systems, and related infrastructure. The bill authorizes ten million dollars annually for fiscal years 2024 through 2028 to fund these projects, with the federal government covering up to 80 percent of project costs, or 90 percent for limited-income farmers. Recipients must complete broadband buildout within four years and meet cybersecurity requirements, while the program includes a competitive bidding process allowing multiple providers to compete for funding to serve the same agricultural areas. The legislation also requires the Department of Agriculture to collect more detailed data on broadband adoption and usage among American farmers.
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