Federal Communications Commission	DA 24-293


DA 24-293
Released:  March 25, 2024

FCC ANNOUNCES THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE WORKING GROUPS OF THE TASK FORCE FOR REVIEWING THE CONNECTIVITY AND TECHNOLOGY NEEDS OF PRECISION AGRICULTURE IN THE UNITED STATES 

GN Docket No. 19-329

This Public Notice serves as notice that, consistent with the Federal Advisory Committee Act Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. 2 (FACA).
 and the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, Pub. L. No. 115-334, 132 Stat. 4490 (2018 Farm Bill).
 Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, in consultation with Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, has appointed Working Group members to serve on 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).
The following working groups will assist the Task Force in carrying out its work: (1) Mapping and Analyzing Connectivity on Agricultural Lands; (2) Examining Current and Future Connectivity Demand for Precision Agriculture; (3) Encouraging Adoption of Precision Agriculture and Availability of High-Quality Jobs on Connected Farms; and (4) Accelerating Broadband Deployment on Unserved Agricultural Lands.  A full list of Task Force Working Group members appointed by the Chairwoman in consultation with the Secretary is attached to this Public Notice as Appendix A. For more information on the working groups, see FCC Announces and Solicits Nominations for Working Groups of the Task Force for Reviewing the Connectivity and Technology Needs of Precision Agriculture in the United States, GN Docket No. 19-329, Public Notice, 34 FCC Rcd 10496 (WCB 2019).

More information about the Precision Ag Connectivity Task Force is available at https://www.fcc.gov/task-force-reviewing-connectivity-and-technology-needs-precision-agriculture- united-states.  You may also contact Emily Caditz, Designated Federal Officer, at (202) 418-2268, or Emily.Caditz@fcc.gov; and Thomas Hastings, Deputy Designated Federal Officer, at (202) 418-1343, or Thomas.Hastings@fcc.gov. 




- FCC –


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APPENDIX A

MEMBERS OF THE PRECISION AGRICULTURE CONNECTIVITY TASK FORCE WORKING GROUPS

* Indicates a member of the Precision Agriculture Connectivity Task Force
^ Indicates an application for membership has been submitted and is pending approval

Mapping and Analyzing Connectivity on Agricultural Lands Working Group

Chair:
Joseph M. Carey*
Special Government Employee 

Vice Chair:
Brad Robison*
Chief Executive Officer, Tallahatchie Valley Electric Power Association and Tallahatchie
Valley Internet Services, LLC; President, MS Fiber (representing the National Rural Electric Cooperative
Association)

Members:
Michael Adelaine, Ph.D.*
CIO Emeritus & Special Advisor to the President, South Dakota State University

Sreekala Bajwa, Ph.D.*
Vice President, Dean & Director, Montana State University College of Agriculture & Montana Agricultural Experiment Station

Luke Deryckx ^
Special Government Employee

B. Lynn Follansbee
Vice President, Policy & Advocacy, USTelecom – The Broadband Association

Cody Goodnight 
Managing Partner, Goodknight Farms (representing Oklahoma Farm Bureau)  

Todd Harpest
Business Intelligence Analyst, WISPER ISP, LLC

Examining Current and Future Connectivity Demand for Precision Agriculture Working Group:

Chair:
Joy Sterling*
Chief Executive Officer, Iron Horse Vineyards

Vice Chair:
Steven Strickland
Director, Partnerships & Channels, Ericsson

Members:
Andy Bater*
Farmer, Fifth Estate Growers LLC

Steven Hill*
President, Satellite Broadcasting and Communications Association 

Brent Kemp
Chief Executive Officer, AgGateway

Ryan Krogh*
Global Combine and FEE Business Manager, John Deere

Daniel Maycock
Vice President, Professional Services, CropTrak

George Woodward
President and Chief Executive Officer, Trilogy Networks, Inc. (representing the Rural Wireless Association)

Encouraging Adoption of Precision Agriculture and Availability of High-Quality Jobs on Connected Farms Working Group:

Chair:
Joshua Seidemann* 	
Vice President of Policy, NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association 

Vice Chair:
J. Alex Thomasson, Ph.D., P.E.
Professor, Department Head and William and Sherry Berry Endowed Chair, Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Mississippi State University 

Members:
Taylre Beaty 
State Broadband Director, State of Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development 

Timothy Bradford, Jr., Ph.D.*
 Director of Agronomy, Vayda, Inc.

Julie Bushell* 	
Chief Executive Officer, Ethos Connected (representing Irrigation Association)

Hunter Hook
Managing Director, Communication Banking Group, CoBank

Russell Peotter	
Senior Advisor, America’s Public Television Stations

Kevin Royal 
Precision Agriculture Specialist, Clemson University Center for Agricultural Technology 

Accelerating Broadband Deployment on Unserved Agricultural Lands Working Group:

Chair:
Heather Hampton+Knodle*	
Vice President & Secretary, Knodle Ltd. Farms

Vice Chair:
Jarrett Taubman
Vice President and Deputy Chief Government Affairs and Regulatory Officer, Viasat

Members:
David Crawford 
Principal Corporate Counsel, Federal Regulatory Affairs, T-Mobile USA, Inc.

Louis E. Paraertz
Vice President of Policy, WISPA – Broadband Without Boundaries

Matthew R. Peterson	
Member, The National Grange

Carolyn Price*
Executive Director, Upstate New York Towns Association

Dan Watermeier*
Commissioner, First District, Nebraska Public Service Commission

Douglas Weber ^
Special Government Employee