Couple in rural America browsing the internetThis week, the Biden administration slated half a billion dollars for high-speed internet projects for U.S. rural areas. The 2021 infrastructure bill set aside billions of dollars for broadband access that could ultimately cover all of rural America.

How many Americans will this impact? According to the White House, more than 30 million Americans live in rural and urban areas without an internet connection or in areas with connections at minimally acceptable speeds. Agriculture Secretary Vilsack says 32 projects in 20 states would receive $502 million in funding. A Purdue University poll earlier this year shows that 12% of large-scale farmers have no internet access, while 16% say they have poor-quality connections.

Read more on the rural broadband initiative and funding project here.