Missouri Farm Bureau President Blake Hurst made the following statement regarding Governor Parson’s announcement of the first Missouri Broadband Grant Program awards:
Today’s announcement of the first grant awards from the Missouri Broadband Grant Program is an exciting development for rural Missourians. High-speed internet access should be available to every citizen. As the current crisis has made all too clear, broadband is critical to our state’s future.
Missouri Farm Bureau worked closely with the legislature to create this program. We continued to stay engaged with the Office of Broadband Development as it set up the grant process. As awardees begin projects, we will remain engaged to ensure the grant dollars are used wisely and effectively.
Governor Parson’s leadership on this issue has made an outstanding impact. He has shown a continuing commitment to the people of rural Missouri and ensuring they are not left behind. We encourage the legislature to continue funding the Missouri Broadband Grant Program. We must push for our state to quickly close the digital divide.
