Fertilizer Canada’s Response to: Notice No. SLPB-006-21 — Consultation on a Policy and Licensing Framework for Spectrum in the 3800 MHz Band (Canada Gazette, Part 1, December 25, 2021)

As technology used on-farm advances, it is increasingly important that Canada’s farmers and the industry sectors that serve them are able to connect to reliable and affordable wireless telecommunications services. This has become even more apparent recently as the COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated a stronger reliance on Internet access not only for farmers, but for many Canadians in rural areas now working or studying from home. Farmers and other Canadians in rural areas would benefit greatly from expanded access to reliable high-speed Internet. We believe that spectrum policy should heavily emphasize expanding access to high-speed Internet in the near-term to ensure that farmers can take advantage of advancements in on-farm technologies and remain competitive with their international counterparts.