FACACLASSIC

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FCC - 84573 - Task Force for Reviewing the Connectivity and Technology Needs of Precision Agriculture in the United States - Statutory (Congress Created)

GENERAL INFORMATION

Committee Name	Task Force for Reviewing the Connectivity and Technology Needs of Precision Agriculture in the United States	Agency Name	Federal Communications Commission
Fiscal Year	2025	Committee Number	84573
Original Establishment Date	12/4/2019	Committee Status	Terminated
Actual Termination Date	1/1/2025	Committee URL	https://www.fcc.gov/task-force-reviewing-connec...
Actual Merged Date		Presidential Appointments*	No
New Committee This FY	No	Max Number of Members*	16
Terminated This FY	Yes	Designated Fed Officer Position Title*	DFO
Merged This FY		Designated Federal Officer Prefix
Current Charter Date	11/29/2023	Designated Federal Officer First Name*	Emily
Date Of Renewal Charter	11/29/2025	Designated Federal Officer Middle Name
Projected Termination Date	1/1/2025	Designated Federal Officer Last Name*	Caditz
Exempt From Renewal*	No	Designated Federal Officer Suffix
Specific Termination Authority	Section 12511 of the 2018 Farm Bill, Pub.L. 115-334, 132 Stat 4490	Designated Federal Officer Phone*	(202) 418-2268
Establishment Authority*	Statutory (Congress Created)	Designated Federal Officer Fax*
Specific Establishment Authority*	Section 12511 of the 2018 Farm Bill, Pub.L. 115-334, 132 Stat 4490	Designated Federal Officer Email*	emily.caditz@fcc.gov
Effective Date Of Authority*	12/20/2018
Exempt From EO 13875 Discretionary Cmte	Not Applicable
Committee Type*	Continuing
Presidential*	No
Committee Function*	National Policy Issue Advisory Board

RECOMMENDATION/JUSTIFICATIONS

Agency Recommendation*	Terminate
Legislation to Terminate Required	Yes
Legislation Status	Enacted
How does cmte accomplish its purpose?*	The mission of the Task Force was to consult with the Secretary of Agriculture (hereinafter “Secretary”), or a designee of the Secretary, and collaborate with public and private stakeholders in the agriculture and technology fields to: a) identify and measure current gaps in the availability of broadband Internet access service on agricultural land; b) develop policy recommendations to promote the rapid, expanded deployment of broadband Internet access service on unserved agricultural land, with a goal of achieving reliable capabilities on 95 percent of agricultural land in the United States by 2025; c) promote effective policy and regulatory solutions that encourage the adoption of broadband Internet access service on farms and ranches and promote precision agriculture; d) 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 b); e) recommend specific steps that the Commission should take to 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 the deployment of broadband Internet access service, to unserved agricultural land in need of broadband Internet access service; and f) recommend specific steps that the Commission should consider to ensure that the expertise of the Secretary and available farm data are reflected in future programs of the Commission.
How is membership balanced?*	Members represented a wide variety of entities with interests in precision agriculture technologies and practices. Members of the Task Force were selected by the Chairwoman of the Commission, in consultation with the Secretary and appropriate Commission staff. The Task Force was composed of not more than 15 voting members who will be appointed either as Representatives or as Special Government Employees (SGEs) as necessary. As required by the Act, voting members included: a) agricultural producers representing diverse geographic regions and farm sizes, including owners and operators of farms of less than 100 acres; b) an agricultural producer representing tribal agriculture; c) Internet service providers, including regional or rural fixed and mobile broadband Internet access service providers and telecommunications infrastructure providers; d) representatives from the electric cooperative industry; e) representatives from the satellite industry; f) representatives from precision agriculture equipment manufacturers, including drone manufacturers, manufacturers of autonomous agricultural machinery, and manufacturers of farming robotics technologies; g) representatives from State and local governments; and h) representatives with relevant expertise in broadband network data collection, geospatial analysis, and coverage mapping. Voting members will be fairly balanced in terms of their technological experience, points of view, and fields of knowledge relevant to the Task Force.
How frequent & relevant are cmte mtgs?*	The Task Force meets 3-4 times per year, meeting more frequently closer to its statutory reporting deadlines. The Task Force met 2 times in FY2025 and terminated on January 1, 2025.
Why advice can't be obtained elsewhere?*	This Task Force was intended to provide an effective means for stakeholders to exchange ideas and develop recommendations and submit reports to the Chairwoman of the Federal Communications Commission in adherence to the Task Force’s statutory responsibilities.
Why close or partially close meetings?	Not Applicable
Recommendation Remarks	Pursuant to section 12511 of the 2018 Farm Bill, Pub.L. 115-334, 132 Stat 4490, the Task Force for Reviewing Connectivity and Technology Needs of Precision Agriculture in the United States was terminated on Jan. 1, 2025.

PERFORMANCE MEASURES

Outcome Improvement To Health Or Safety*	No	Action Reorganize Priorities*	No
Outcome Trust In Government	No	Action Reallocate Resources	No
Outcome Major Policy Changes	No	Action Issued New Regulations	No
Outcome Advance In Scientific Research	No	Action Proposed Legislation	No
Outcome Effective Grant Making	No	Action Approved Grants Or Other Payments	No
Outcome Improved Service Delivery	No	Action Other	No
Outcome Increased Customer Satisfaction	No	Action Comment	N/A
Outcome Implement Laws/Reg Requirements	No	Grants Review*	No
Outcome Other	Yes	Number Of Grants Reviewed	0
Outcome Comment	Unable to determine	Number Of Grants Recommended	0
Cost Savings*	None	Dollar Value Of Grants Recommended	$0.00
Cost Savings Comment		Grants Review Comment	N/A
Number Of Recommendations*	252	Access Contact Designated Fed. Officer*	Yes
Number Of Recommendations Comment	Recommendations were adopted 10/28/2020, 3/12/2021, 11/10/2021, 10/5/22, 11/6/2023, and 12/5/2024.	Access Agency Website	Yes
% of Recs Fully Implemented*	1.00%	Access Committee Website	Yes
% of Recs Fully Implemented Comment	Recommendations were adopted 10/28/2020, 3/12/2021, 11/10/2021, 10/5/22, 11/6/2023, and 12/5/2024.	Access GSA FACA Website	Yes
% of Recs Partially Implemented*	18.00%	Access Publications	No
% of Recs Partially Implemented Comment	Recommendations were adopted 10/28/2020, 3/12/2021, 11/10/2021, 10/5/22,11/6/2023, and 12/5/2024.	Access Other	No
Agency Feedback*	Yes	Access Comment	N/A
Agency Feedback Comment*	The agency provided feedback through the Designated Federal Officer (DFO) or through correspondence between the Commission and the Precision Agriculture Connectivity Task Force. The public can find more information about the Task Force on the Committee's website: https://www.fcc.gov/task-force-reviewing-connectivity-and-technology-needs-precision-agriculture-united-states. Because recommendations from the Task Force pertain to a wide variety of FCC proceedings, the Commission does not provide specific information to the public regarding implementation of the recommendations. The public can search through a list of open proceedings which may incorporate the Task Force's recommendations at: https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/search/search-proceedings. Agency feedback may also be provided at public meetings. Recordings of previous meetings are available on the committee's website.	Narrative Description*	The Task Force for Reviewing the Connectivity and Technology Needs of Precision Agriculture in the United States (Precision Ag Connectivity Task Force or Task Force) provided advice and recommendations for the FCC on how to assess and advance deployment of broadband Internet access service on unserved agriculture land to promote precision agriculture. Congress directed the FCC, in consultation with the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, to establish the Precision Ag Connectivity Task Force in the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill).

COSTS

1. Payments to Non-Federal Members*	$0.00	1. Est Paymnts to Non-Fed Membrs Nxt FY*	$0.00
2. Payments to Federal Members*	$348.00	2. Est. Payments to Fed Members Next FY*	$0.00
3. Payments to Federal Staff*	$69,610.00	3. Estimated Payments to Federal Staff*	$0.00
4. Payments to Consultants*	$0.00	4. Est. Payments to Consultants Next FY*	$0.00
5. Travel Reimb. For Non-Federal Membrs*	$0.00	5. Est Travel Reimb Non-Fed Membr nxtFY*	$0.00
6. Travel Reimb. For Federal Members*	$0.00	6. Est Travel Reimb For Fed Members*	$0.00
7. Travel Reimb. For Federal Staff*	$0.00	7. Est. Travel Reimb to Fed Staf Nxt FY*	$0.00
8. Travel Reimb. For Consultants*	$0.00	8. Est Travel Reimb to Consltnts Nxt FY*	$0.00
10. Other Costs	$2,554.00	10. Est. Other Costs Next FY*	$0.00
11. Total Costs	$72,512.00	11. Est. Total Next FY*	$0.00
Date Cost Last Modified	4/30/2025 12:32 PM	Est. Fed Staff Support Next FY*	0.00
Federal Staff Support (FTE)*	0.32	Est Cost Remarks
Cost Remarks	Other costs includes closed captioning, platform costs, Commission Meeting Room costs and Federal Register costs.

Interest Areas

Category Area Agriculture Agriculture Communications Broadcasting and Communications

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