Precision Agriculture Satellite Connectivity Act

The Precision Agriculture Satellite Connectivity Act would require the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to examine its rules governing three satellite service categories—fixed satellite service (FSS), mobile satellite service (MSS), and earth exploration satellite service (EESS)—to see if changes could be made under the FCC’s current authority to promote precision agriculture. If the FCC finds that changes are possible, it must develop recommendations on how to implement them. The agency must then report its review results and any recommendations to Congress within 15 months of enactment. The goal is to identify regulatory changes that could help expand or improve satellite connectivity used for precision agriculture, which is the use of technology to optimize farming practices (for example, using data from satellites to guide planting, irrigation, and fertilizer decisions).