The Federal Communications Commission and LightSquared must complete comprehensive and rigorous testing on all proposed technical fixes to ensure there is no interference between broadband and GPS signals.  That’s the message the American Farm Bureau and a dozen national producer groups told the House Small Business Committee Wednesday. They also believe LightSquared should cover the expense of all technical fixes related to the interference issue to ensure the cost is not passed along to farmers and ranchers.

AFBF President Bob Stallman says – it is critical that costs for resolving this issue are not passed along to farmers and ranchers through higher GPS or equipment costs. American Soybean Association First Vice President Steve Wellman, a farmer from Syracuse, Nebraska, says – additional testing is imperative. We need to know with certainty that any modifications and proposed solutions will work for new and existing precision agriculture equipment.

Farmers use GPS for accurate mapping of field boundaries, roads and irrigation systems; for precision planting; and for targeting the application of fertilizer and chemicals that combat weeds and crop diseases. GPS also allows farmers to work in their fields despite low-visibility conditions such as rain, dust, fog and darkness.