[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 193 (Friday, October 4, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53144-53145]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-21577]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION


Federal Advisory Committee, Task Force for Reviewing the 
Connectivity and Technology Needs of Precision Agriculture in the 
United States

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice of intent to establish.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the 
Federal Communications Commission (Commission) announces its intent to 
establish a Federal Advisory Committee, known as the ``Task Force for 
Reviewing the Connectivity and Technology Needs of Precision 
Agriculture in the United States'' (the Task Force).

ADDRESSES: Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street SW, 
Washington, DC 20554.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jesse Jachman, Designated Federal 
Officer, Federal Communications Commission, Wireline Competition 
Bureau, (202) 418-2668, or email: [email protected]; Erin Boone, 
Deputy Designated Federal Officer, Federal Communications Commission, 
Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, (202) 418-0736, or email: 
[email protected]; or Celia Lewis, Deputy Designated Federal Officer, 
Federal Communications Commission, Wireline Competition Bureau, (202) 
418-7456, or email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Chairman of the Commission, as required 
by Section 12511 of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, Public Law 
115-334, 132 Stat 4490, is taking appropriate steps to establish the 
Task Force, which Congress has deemed necessary and in the public 
interest.

[[Page 53145]]

After consultation and concurrence with the General Services 
Administration, the Commission intends to establish the charter on or 
before December 19, 2019, providing the Task Force with authorization 
to operate for two years.
    In consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary), or a 
designee of the Secretary, and in collaboration with public and private 
stakeholders in the agriculture and technology fields, the purpose of 
the Task Force is to: Identify and measure current gaps in the 
availability of broadband internet access service on agricultural land; 
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; promote 
effective policy and regulatory solutions that encourage the adoption 
of broadband internet access service on farms and ranches and promote 
precision agriculture; 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 the second bullet in this list; 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 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 dedicated 
to the infrastructure deployment of broadband internet access service 
and to direct available funding to unserved agricultural land where 
needed.
    In addition, not later than one (1) year after the date on which 
the Commission officially establishes the Task Force, and annually 
thereafter, the Task Force will submit to the Chairman of the 
Commission a report, which shall be made public, that details: The 
status of fixed and mobile broadband internet access service coverage 
of agricultural land; the projected future connectivity needs of 
agricultural operations, farmers, and ranchers; and the steps being 
taken to accurately measure the availability of broadband internet 
access service on agricultural land and the limitations of current, as 
of the date of the report, measurement processes.

Advisory Committee

    The Task Force will be organized under, and will operate in 
accordance with, the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act 
(FACA) (5 U.S.C. App. 2). The Task Force will be solely advisory in 
nature. Consistent with FACA and its requirements, each meeting of the 
Task Force will be open to the public unless otherwise noticed. A 
notice of each meeting will be published in the Federal Register at 
least fifteen (15) days in advance of the meeting. Records will be 
maintained of each meeting and made available for public inspection. 
All activities of the Task Force will be conducted in an open, 
transparent, and accessible manner. The Task Force shall terminate two 
(2) years from filing date of its charter. However, the Commission will 
seek to renew the Task Force's charter for successive terms until the 
Task Force terminates on January 1, 2025. The first meeting date and 
agenda topics will be described in a Public Notice issued and published 
in the Federal Register at least fifteen (15) days prior to the first 
meeting date. In addition, as needed, working groups or subcommittees 
(ad hoc or steering) will be established to facilitate the Task Force's 
work between meetings of the full Task Force. Meetings of the Task 
Force will be fully accessible to individuals with disabilities.
    Accessible Formats: To request materials in accessible formats for 
people with disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio 
format), send an email to [email protected] or call the Consumer and 
Governmental Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530 (voice), 1-888-835-5322 
(TTY).

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2019-21577 Filed 10-3-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6712-01-P