Melissa Dai
Broadband’s broken promise: How federal failures and funding fights keep Native and Black farmers offline
In 2023, Virginian John Boyd’s combine caught fire while harvesting grain, and he was in a dead zone. He had to walk a mile and a half just to find cellular service. By then, the fire had destroyed his combine. “A complete loss, and insurance wouldn’t pay,” Boyd said. Internet access is more than a convenience for farmers and ranchers. It’s become critical infrastructure, and not only for emergency situations.