CONDE, S.D. (WNAX) – South Dakota Senator John Thune will be hosting a Senate subcommittee field hearing in Sioux Falls Thursday on rural broadband access. South Dakota Farmers Union President Doug Sombke says rural areas having good access to broadband is critical not only for small businesses but for farmers and ranchers and he encourages producers to attend the hearing.

He says farmers and ranchers need broadband access in order to compete and it’s also important for small communities.

Sombke says Congress needs to get moving quickly on providing rural broadband access because of how quickly the technology is developing.

The field hearing will be held at Southeast Technical Institute in Sioux Falls on Thursday.