(NAFB.com) – National Farmers Union welcomed this week’s Affordability Connectivity Program announced by the White House.

The program seeks to close the U.S. digital divide by making reliable, high-speed internet affordable to many families in rural and urban communities. The program will provide an estimated 48 million qualifying families with a $30/month benefit to apply towards a high-speed plan and get it at zero cost. NFU President Rob Larew says, “Reliable and affordable high-speed internet is a necessity in today’s world whether you are a farmer or rancher accessing markets and precision agriculture or you and your family are connecting to your schools and jobs.”

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law included $65 billion to make sure we expand access to broadband internet in every region of the country. President Joe Biden, announcing the Program Monday, said broadband, among other things, allows “farmers to use precision agriculture technology to improve their yields.” Participating providers include AT&T, Verizon, Cox, Comcast, and other providers who serve rural communities.