BROOKINGS, S.D. (KJJQ) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a $9.5 million dollar investment in high-speed broadband infrastructure in Brookings, Kingsbury and Moody Counties.

Julie Gross is USDA’s Rural Development South Dakota State Director. She says it will be a fiber-to-the-home network.

Valley Telecommunications is based in Herreid, South Dakota.

Gross says this will provide vital internet infrastructure.

She says this will also be a boon for precision agriculture.

This is part of the first round of USDA’s ReConnect Pilot Program investments. In March 2018, Congress provided $600 million to USDA to expand broadband infrastructure and services in rural America.