[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 236 (Monday, December 11, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 85885-85886]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-27071]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[GN Docket No. 19-329; FR ID 189297]


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

ACTION: Notice of renewal.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) 
hereby announces that the charter of the Task Force for Reviewing the 
Connectivity and Technology Needs of Precision Agriculture in the 
United States (the Task Force) has been renewed for a period expiring 
on January 1, 2025, pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act 
(FACA) and after consultation with the Committee Management 
Secretariat, General Services Administration.

ADDRESSES: Federal Communications Commission, 45 L Street NE, 
Washington, DC 20554.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christi Shewman, Designated Federal 
Officer, Federal Communications Commission, Wireline Competition 
Bureau, (202) 418-0646, or email: [email protected]; Thomas 
Hastings, Deputy Designated Federal Officer, Federal Communications 
Commission, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, (202) 418-1343, or 
email [email protected]; or Emily Caditz, Deputy Designated 
Federal Officer, Wireline Competition Bureau, (202) 418-2268 or email 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Chairwoman of the Commission, as 
required by Section 12511 of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, 
Public Law 115-334, 132 Stat 4490, has taken appropriate steps to renew 
the Task Force, which Congress has deemed necessary and in the public 
interest. After consultation with the General Services Administration, 
the Commission renewed the charter on November 29, 2023, providing the 
Task Force with authorization to operate until January 1, 2025.
    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 item 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, annually, the Task Force will submit to the Chairwoman 
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 is organized under and operates in accordance with, 
the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) (5 U.S.C. 
app. 2). The Task Force is 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 on January 1, 2025, as required by 
Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, Public Law 115-334, 132 Stat 4490, 
sec. 12511(b)(6). All meeting dates 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, 
working groups or subcommittees (ad hoc or steering), will continue 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).


[[Page 85886]]


(5 U.S.C. App 2 10(a)(2))

Federal Communications Commission.
Jodie May,
Division Chief, Competition Policy Division, Wireline Competition 
Bureau.
[FR Doc. 2023-27071 Filed 12-8-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P