08.30.22

Hoeven Announces ARS-NDSU-Grand Farm Partnership to Enhance Precision Agriculture Research

Senator Secured $1 Million to Establish Cooperative Agreement, Working to Advance Next Generation of Precision Ag Tech

FARGO, N.D. – Senator John Hoeven today announced a new cooperative agreement between North Dakota State University (NDSU), Emerging Prairie and the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) to enhance the precision agriculture research being undertaken by the Grand Farm initiative. As the lead Republican on the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee, Hoeven worked to advance this partnership by: 

  • Securing $1 million in Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 funding for ARS to enter into cooperative agreements with universities and outside organizations – like Grand Farm – that are focused on precision agriculture research.
  • Inviting Grand Farm Director Brian Carroll to testify at a hearing of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee on opportunities to diversify farm income and strengthen rural economies.
  • Outlining the importance of initiatives like Grand Farm to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), including Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Jewel Bronaugh. 

“Grand Farm is about leveraging North Dakota’s global leadership in agriculture and the dynamic technology sector that we’ve built in our state to develop and implement the next generation of precision agriculture,” said Hoeven. “That means reducing producers’ input costs, improving their yields and empowering them to continue providing the highest quality, lowest cost food supply in the world. Moreover, by building upon the intersection of agriculture and technology, North Dakota will be positioned to realize new opportunities for investment and job growth for years to come.”

The cooperative agreement announced today comes as the latest in Hoeven’s efforts to advance the next generation of precision agriculture technology. Among other priorities, the senator is working to expand access to high-speed broadband, including in rural areas, to ensure data-intensive technologies like precision agriculture can be implemented. Hoeven has:

  • Secured nearly $3 billion across fiscal years (FY) 2018-2022 for theReConnect Program, a rural broadband loan and grant pilot program. 
  • Cosponsored and worked to pass:
    • The Precision Agriculture Connectivity Act, which passed as part of the 2018 Farm Bill, to ensure adequate broadband access in rural areas.
    • The Broadband Deployment Accuracy and Technological Availability (DATA) Act, which was signed into law in 2020, to improve federal broadband mapping.

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