HOWARD — On Thursday, U.S. Reps. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., Collin Peterson, D-Minn., and James Comer, R-Ky., sent a letter to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai questioning the Commission’s April 20 order granting Ligado’s application to deploy a terrestrial nationwide network to provide 5G services.
Despite concerns raised by numerous federal agencies, the FCC decision threatens the reliability of GPS for millions of Americans, including farmers and ranchers, who rely on these technologies every day. As members of House Agriculture Committee, Thompson, Peterson and Comer expressed serious concerns related to the inevitable service disruptions that will follow for the precision agriculture industry.
“GPS technology has revolutionized the agriculture industry for decades, bolstering efficiency, providing substantial economic impact, and slashing operating costs,” said Thompson. “To ensure there are no unnecessary disruptions to production, our farmers deserve the peace of mind that comes with reliable 5G service.”
Peterson, who is a pilot, said GPS is also a “critical safety feature for the aviation industry.”
Comer recognized the need for improvements such as 5G service, but called for more information before moving ahead.
“While telecommunications improvements are certainly critical to moving our rural economy forward, we must ensure that the agriculture sector does not see service disruptions from new efforts to ramp up 5G services,” said Comer. “The FCC must provide clarity on the Ligado decision and address the concerns of affected farmers.”
Scott VanderWal, vice president of American Farm Bureau Federation, shared his own concerns.
“America’s farmers and ranchers rely on precision agriculture technology and GPS so their farms and ranches can be more efficient, economical, and environmentally responsible,” said VanderWal. “Expanding broadband access is a top priority for Farm Bureau but not at the expense of losing the accuracy of GPS.”
Dennis Slater, president of the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), said the association “strongly” supports “the bipartisan action” of the Ag Committee, explaining, “Our nation’s farmers, contractors, and consumers depend on the equipment our industry builds and on a reliable GPS connection to plant, harvest, construct, and move goods. The FCC’s recent Ligado Order jeopardizes millions of devices.”
