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We were pleased last week to see U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue listening and responding to the agriculture community at the Farm Progress Show. He seemed equally as interested and attentive when he was alone with farmers as when he was in the media spotlight. It’s clear he understands the tasks ahead in Washington and will bring a refreshing approach to the needs of agriculture.

It’s also good to learn this week that Perdue will get some help at the USDA. (See "Perdue Praises Trump's Choices for Key USDA Positions.) We hope the administration will fill out the entire USDA leadership team, and we urge the Senate to take quick action in confirming the appointments.

With Congress back in session, we’ll watch closely as lawmakers discuss the Farm Bill and much more, including H.R. 3354, an appropriations bill which covers many areas of concern for our Association.

Noteworthy in the bill are:

• Establishing the Rural Economic Infrastructure Grant Program, which would award $123 million to rural America.

• Allocating $27 million in loans to support high-speed internet in rural America.

• Supporting farmers through $7 billion for Farm Service Agency direct and guaranteed farm ownership and operating loans.

• Eliminating funding for apprenticeship grants. (The administration strongly opposes the absence of funding for this program in the bill.)

• Providing resources to protect union members from union corruption. (The previous administration impeded the Office of Labor-Management Standards’ ability to investigate and prosecute financial misconduct in labor organizations.)

While the appropriations bill is far-reaching, we’d like to focus on loans for high-speed internet and share a comment we heard from Vermeer Executive Vice President Mark Core, who says that in spite of living 35 miles south of Des Moines, he does not have internet access fast enough to stream Netflix.

“We talk about roadways and waterways and those kinds of things, but it’s also water infrastructure, it’s broadband infrastructure. There’s a lot of other elements for us to be competitive as a global player and to keep agriculture in the top where we need to be, and it’s in that whole infrastructure discussion.”

While streaming Netflix may not be high on your list of broadband demands, lack of broadband service in rural areas hurts the efforts of manufacturers and equipment dealers to develop their workforce.

Kim Rominger, President/CEO of the Equipment Dealers Association, recently noted that dealers throughout the country are experiencing a severe technician shortage.

Rominger said: “Not only are dealers fighting those voices telling our young folks you need a four-year degree to get ahead, we are at the cusp of a changing generation where traditional values we have used on the baby boomer generation are not necessarily accepted by the millennials.”

Rural infrastructure needs are real and immediate. This should not be a partisan issue. We don’t care who gets credit. It’s time for Congress and the administration to act.