There has been a lot of progress made in connecting rural America with high-speed internet.
However, one economist says that there is still a ways to go.
According to Jeff Johnston, an economist with Ecobank, “We’re moving in the right direction, but we’re not where we need to be quite yet. There is $42.5 billion that was earmarked out of the Infrastructure, Investment, and Jobs Act, and specifically, it’s the BEAD Program within that piece of legislation, and that’s really exciting. That’s an unprecedented amount of capital, an unprecedented amount of money that the government has set aside to support building out rural broadband networks to get those who are not connected connected.”
One of the largest obstacles with connectivity is getting the copper wiring laid out in rural areas.
Johnston says the BEAD Program has not made much progress yet, but says that he is hoping more can be done in the coming months.
Sen. Moran joins us to discuss the farm aid package and the financial reality faced by row crop farmers in his home state of Kansas.
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Lawmakers and experts react to the Administration’s long-awaited announcement of “bridge” aid to stabilize farms and offset 2025 losses until expanded safety-net programs begin in 2026.
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Read the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s official press release published on Monday, December 8, 2025.
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