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Artificial Intelligence Improves America’s Food System

December 10, 2020 Scott Elliott, Agricultural Research Service Office of Communications

Technology is everywhere in the 21 st century, and America’s food system is no exception.

Research and Science Technology

AskUSDA: An Improved and Streamlined Customer Experience

December 02, 2020 Tamieca Hamlin, Customer Experience Lead, USDA Office of Customer Experience (OCX)

Now more than ever, people expect to have a good experience when interacting with companies or organizations. Whether the interaction stems from a question, the desire to provide feedback, or an inquiry about services, a good customer experience is built on good customer service. In its simplest...

Technology

RD’s ReConnect Program: Supporting Agricultural Innovation by Bridging the Digital Divide

September 02, 2020 USDA Rural Development Administrator of Rural Utilities Service Chad Rupe

Often when we think of rural broadband, we think about how internet access has revolutionized the way Americans consume media, conduct business, learn, and receive medical care via telemedicine. Over the last two decades, USDA has been making significant progress in connecting rural communities to...

Broadband Rural Technology

Oklahoma Broadband Provider Doubles Speed for Customers During Coronavirus

August 10, 2020 Chad Rupe, Administrator, Rural Utilities Services

Amid the COVID-19 outbreak, long-standing USDA Rural Development partners Pine Telephone and Pine Cellular in southeastern Oklahoma answered the call to serve their communities.

Broadband Coronavirus Rural

Wisconsin Telecommunications Cooperatives Step Up to Support E-Learning

June 23, 2020 Frank Frassetto, USDA Rural Development State Director for Wisconsin

Wisconsin students across the state adapted to the new normal with e-Learning studies since the Badger State entered the “Safer at Home” status in late March. If you live in a metro area, you probably didn’t struggle with lack of service or low bandwidth. But in the rural areas, it was a big...

Broadband Rural

Students and Healthcare Services on Maine’s Island Communities Stay Connected

June 19, 2020 Timothy P. Hobbs, USDA Rural Development State Director for Maine

Maine’s island communities are scattered up and down the coastline, many of them miles out to sea - they’re rural communities carving out a life both in and on the Atlantic Ocean. Despite the distance from the mainland, the educators and healthcare workers in this remote area of the state are...

Rural Technology

USDA Wildlife Services Highlights Wildlife Damage Management Tools

April 03, 2020 Gail Keirn, APHIS Legislative and Public Affairs

Invasive rodents on islands, predators eating livestock, vultures pecking at property, birds colliding with airplanes. Wildlife damage can take many forms. As such, wildlife managers need a variety of tools to help reduce damage.

Animals Technology

Rural Distance Learning Gets a Tech Boost in Oklahoma and Texas

April 02, 2020 Chad Rupe, Administrator, Rural Utilities Services

Hilliary Communications, which serves parts of Oklahoma and Texas, has reinforced its commitment to its customers and communities with a series of upgrades in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. This is especially important since students across the state will begin distance learning on April 6 as...

Broadband Rural

Rural Development Project Uses 3D Printing in Fight against COVID-19 Spread

April 01, 2020 Hilda Legg, Kentucky Rural Development State Director

As Kentucky does its best to battle the spread of COVID-19, state officials and medical providers have been looking for ways to answer the increasing need for medical personal protective equipment. One of those responding in a big way here in Kentucky is a somewhat unlikely source: Somerset...

Coronavirus Rural Technology

Advancing Rural Broadband, The Great Task of Our Generation

March 12, 2020 Kirk Pearson, Washington State Director, USDA Rural Development

Good news rang in Washington State when I joined representatives from Mason Public Utility District (PUD) 3 at the start of USDA’s Broadband ReConnect Workshop in Seattle to celebrate a $2.4 million investment to bring high-speed broadband to 250 households and businesses in rural Mason County.

Broadband Rural