New Benton Institute report quantifies value of better broadband to rural communities

A report released by the Benton Institute for Broadband and Society explored the positive economic impact of broadband in rural areas. The report focused on the impact in 15 agricultural counties in Illinois. It found that faster internet speeds could boost corn and soybean production by over $100 million annually. The additional revenue would be realilzed through precision agriculture methods, which require a reliable broadband connection in order to maximize impact. 

The model relies on a paper that compares crop production data and internet speeds from 2007, 2012 and 2017, to see if better internet leads to increased farm output. The paper finds a substantial benefit to faster internet.

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