FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 10, 2021

Contact: Hannah Packman, 303-819-8737
hpackman@nfudc.org

WASHINGTON – In a 69-30 vote, the U.S. Senate today passed the INVEST in America Act, which would allocate $1.2 trillion towards updating national infrastructure. The package would benefit family farmers and rural communities by improving roads and bridges, expanding broadband access, protecting watersheds, and building resilience to climate change.

Because rural areas are home to a disproportionate share of our country’s outdated infrastructure, National Farmers Union (NFU) has been pushing legislators to invest in modernization for many years. In response to the bill’s passage, the organization’s president, Rob Larew, issued the following statement:

“Family farmers depend on our roads and bridges to deliver their goods to market, our watersheds to grow their crops, and high-speed broadband to reach customers and access information about markets and the weather. But much of our infrastructure is crumbling – particularly in rural communities. Our dilapidated roads, weak internet connections, inadequate cybersecurity, poor drinking water, and outdated inland waterway system’s ports and dams are undermining residents’ physical safety and financial wellbeing, risks that will only grow with climate-related pressures.

“National Farmers Union is relieved that our legislators are finally paying attention to this crisis. The INVEST in America Act will help modernize our antiquated infrastructure, bolstering rural economies and preparing them for the challenges ahead. More specifically, we are pleased with the inclusion of provisions that would address the affordability of broadband, expand disaster relief and emergency assistance for extreme weather events, improve the resilience of watersheds, and update hours-of-service exemptions for agricultural and livestock haulers.

“We can’t waste any more time–the House must take up this legislation as soon as possible to build stronger, safer, and more sustainable infrastructure.”

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About NFU
National Farmers Union advocates on behalf of nearly 200,000 American farm families and their communities. We envision a world in which farm families and their communities are respected, valued, and enjoy economic prosperity and social justice.

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