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Senator Fischer, FCC commissioner visit Northeast campus

Senator Fischer, FCC commissioner visit Northeast campus

NORFOLK, NE - The precision agriculture program at Northeast Community College took the spotlight during a recent visit to campus by United States Senator Deb Fischer and Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Commissioner Brendan Carr.

Fischer and Carr toured Northeast’s precision agriculture facility and College Farm while visiting with Northeast faculty and students. Fischer said she was “fascinated” with Northeast’s precision agriculture curriculum, which focuses on providing students with skills to interpret new farming technologies.

“Advanced information technology and the data these systems gather help our amazing agriculture producers make effective decisions as they feed the world,” Fischer said. “Precision agriculture is having one of the most pronounced impacts on ag production since the industrial revolution. We look forward to learning more about geographic information systems, the principles of data-based decision making and how the next generation of ag producers are preparing to modernize agriculture--the backbone of Nebraska’s economy.”

The visit to Nebraska also focused on broadband access to rural America that included a stop at Stanton Telecom and conversations with Nebraska telecom stakeholders. Fischer said it is important to bring leaders from Washington, like Carr, to places like Nebraska.

“The state by state statistics that help shape policy at the FCC are more than just numbers on paper. They represent our families, small businesses, and our way of life. That’s why I believe it is important that our government officials see exactly how Nebraska’s businesses operate firsthand.”

Corinne Morris, dean of Agriculture, Math and Science, said the officials’ visit was significant because Northeast’s graduates will impact the future of agriculture at all levels, from local to global.

“Considering the importance of agriculture to the economy as well as sustainability and natural resources, it was very meaningful to share our story with Senator Fischer and Commissioner Carr. As Northeast strives for excellence in educating the next generation of producers and the agricultural workforce, it is important to have open channels of communication with our representatives in government.”

The precision agriculture program at Northeast Community College offers a two-year associate of applied science degree that focuses on maximizing yield potential while developing more resource efficient practices and utilizing technologies and data systems to drive decision making on farms. Students in the program develop technical skills and learn to interpret, analyze and utilize data gathered from precision agriculture technologies to improve production.

 

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United States Senator Deb Fischer (center) and Federal Communications Commission Commissioner Brendan Carr (right) tour the precision agriculture facilities at Northeast Community College in Norfolk recently. (Courtesy Northeast Community College)