Nebraska LB 761: Adopt the Precision Agriculture Infrastructure Grant Act and state intent regarding appropriation of federal funds

Bill Text

LEGISLATURE OF NEBRASKA
ONE HUNDRED SEVENTH LEGISLATURE
SECOND SESSION
LEGISLATIVE BILL 761

Introduced by Dorn, 30.
Read first time January 05, 2022
Committee: Transportation and Telecommunications
A BILL FOR AN ACT relating to agriculture; to adopt the Precision1
Agriculture Infrastructure Grant Act.2
Be it enacted by the people of the State of Nebraska,3
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Section 1. Sections 1 to 6 of this act shall be known and may be1
cited as the Precision Agriculture Infrastructure Grant Act.2
Sec. 2. For purposes of the Precision Agriculture Infrastructure3
Grant Act:4
(1) Adequate broadband speed means a symmetrical download and upload5
speed of at least fifty megabits per second;6
(2) Department means the Department of Economic Development;7
(3) Program means the Precision Agriculture Infrastructure Grant8
Program created in section 3 of this act; and9
(4) Provider means a broadband Internet service provider, including10
any telecommunications company or wireless network provider that provides11
broadband Internet service.12
Sec. 3. (1) The Precision Agriculture Infrastructure Grant Program13
is created. The department shall administer the program. The purposes of14
the program are to:15
(a) Propel Nebraska agricultural producers to lead the nation in16
precision agriculture connectivity, sustainability, traceability, and17
autonomy to accelerate rural economic development; and18
(b) Provide high-speed Internet service to the most remote and cost-19
prohibitive areas of the state.20
(2) It is the intent of the Legislature to appropriate ten million21
dollars from Federal Funds for fiscal year 2022-23 to the department to22
carry out the program. The Federal Funds to be appropriated are from23
funds allocated to the State of Nebraska from the federal Coronavirus24
State Fiscal Recovery Fund pursuant to the federal American Rescue Plan25
Act of 2021, Public Law 117-2, Subtitle M, Sec. 9901.26
Sec. 4. (1) A provider, an agricultural cooperative, an agronomist,27
or an agricultural producer may apply to the department for a grant under28
the program. The application shall be made on forms prescribed by the29
department.30
(2) Grants may only be used to provide:31
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(a) Symmetrical broadband service to on-farm structures and devices,1
including, but not limited to, tractors, combines, irrigation systems,2
livestock facilities, and farm offices. The broadband service shall be at3
an adequate broadband speed;4
(b) On-farm traceability solutions that satisfy food supply5
stakeholder demand, including blockchain;6
(c) Products that improve soil health, water management tools and7
sensors that facilitate judicious use of water resources, and products8
that promote the use of water efficiency seed technologies that lower9
agriculture's water, carbon, and nitrate footprint; and10
(d) Products that use autonomous solutions in agricultural11
machinery, including, but not limited to, grain carts, spreaders,12
precision drone scouting, and scouting robots.13
(3) The department shall award up to one-half of the available grant14
funds for the purpose described in subdivision (2)(a) of this section and15
up to one-half of the available grant funds for the purposes described in16
subdivisions (2)(b), (c), and (d) of this section.17
Sec. 5. If the grant application is to provide symmetrical18
broadband service as described in subdivision (2)(a) of section 4 of this19
act, the applicant shall agree to:20
(1) Complete the project within twelve months after the date on21
which the grant is awarded. The department may permit one extension of up22
to six months upon request and for good cause shown; and23
(2) Submit the broadband service to speed tests. If the speed tests24
show that the broadband service is not providing adequate broadband25
speed, the applicant shall be allowed a reasonable time to correct the26
deficiencies.27
Sec. 6. The department may adopt and promulgate rules and28
regulations to carry out the Precision Agriculture Infrastructure Grant29
Act.30
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