Congress·In Committee·10 months ago

Congress proposes “Last Acre” program to fund high-speed internet for unserved and underserved farmland

Also known as: LAST ACRE Act of 2025

Legislative Progress

✓ Filed

Review

Senate

House

President

Impacts

Mixed Impacts(1)

Federal Employee

Neutral

Positive Impacts(2)

Small Business Owner

Helps

Farmer Rancher

Helps

Key Points

Creates a new Agriculture Department program to help bring high-speed internet to farmland that still lacks good service.
Internet companies (and wireless equipment/service partners) could compete for grants and loans to connect farm fields, equipment, and farm offices—not just homes.
Sets a target service level of at least 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload for areas the program helps, with extra priority for the most remote places.
Limits how the money can be used: no funding to connect homes already listed as served on federal broadband maps, and no building out nearby non-farm areas for commercial gain.
Adds basic cybersecurity requirements for funded providers and updates farm surveys to track how many farms have broadband and what they use it for.

AgricultureTelecommunicationsCybersecurityInfrastructure

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions

May 6, 2025Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

May 6, 2025

Introduced in Senate

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

Within 1 year after the bill becomes law

USDA must create the Last Acre Program and start running it

Providers would have a real place to apply for grants/loans to connect unserved or underserved farm land, and farmers could start working with providers to propose projects.

By the time USDA launches the program (within 1 year after the bill becomes law)

USDA sets up an online registration portal for providers

Broadband and wireless companies could register so they can get notices and compete to serve eligible farm land near where they already operate.

After program launch; at least every 30 days when bids exist

USDA starts posting initial bid areas and sending notices to registered providers

Once a farm area is proposed, nearby providers would have a fair shot to compete, which can push costs down and speed up build decisions.

Up to 45 business days after USDA posts a bid area

Challenge window opens for posted eligible land

Providers can argue that an area already has qualifying service or can be connected quickly without subsidies, which can prevent paying twice for the same area but can also slow down an award while disputes are decided.

Within 90 business days after a bid area is posted (per challenge)

USDA decides challenges and publishes outcomes

Farms and providers would learn whether the land is truly eligible, and only then can money be awarded for that area.

Within 120 days after a provider receives a bid notification

Competing bids are due

If multiple providers want to serve the same farm land, they submit offers, and USDA chooses the option that costs the government less while meeting the farm’s connectivity needs.

Within 30 business days after the competing-bid period ends

USDA selects winning bids

This is when a project becomes real—funding is lined up and buildout milestones can be enforced.

Projects must be completed within 4 years after assistance is awarded

Buildout milestones start, with a hard deadline to finish

Connected equipment on the farm (like sensors, pivots, and tractors) should start working reliably as construction completes, and providers face penalties if they miss milestones.

Next scheduled updates to USDA computer use survey and Census of Agriculture after the bill becomes law

USDA updates farm broadband questions in major surveys

Farmers may see new questions in USDA surveys/census about whether they have broadband at the farm site, what speeds they get, and what they use it for, which can influence future funding decisions.

Annually after the first year of program operation

Annual public reporting begins (bids, challenges, awards)

People can track which areas are getting funded, how often eligibility is disputed, and whether money is going where it’s most needed.

Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

LAST ACRE Act of 2025

Bill NumberS 1617

Congress119th Congress

ChamberSenate

Latest ActionRead twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(1)

D: 1

Data Sources

Congress.gov

Official legislative information

Analysis generated by AI. While we strive for accuracy, this should not be considered legal or professional advice. Always verify information with official government sources.