Rural America’s broadband use is surging as more precision ag tools come online, but that digital growth has a price. Data centers are moving into small towns and energy supplies are feeling the strain.
“If you look at some of the studies that have been done and the estimates around energy consumption, we are headed for a supply-demand imbalance in the energy complex because of AI in the not-too-distant future,” said Jeff Johnston, lead economist for digital infrastructure, CoBank.
Johnston says while there might be a lot of challenges ahead, he calls the whole process a big opportunity for rural America.
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Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer says the labor program will now be fully under her department, and consolidation will make the program more affordable and efficient for farmers and ranchers.
“We’re living in a moment of massive change—in agriculture, in media, and in leadership . . .”
