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ASA supports Retain GPS Act
The American Soybean Association and other ag groups support a bill in Congress to protect GPS and satellite communication.
“We’ve been very concerned along with a lot of other groups and precisiuon ag equipment providers about the Ligado network and the FCC providing that spectrum space to Ligado.”
CEO Steve Censky says the bill addresses concerns about the FCC allowing satellite communications company Ligado to provide 5G service very near bands used by GPS which he says could interfere with or reduce GPS reception.
Censky says the FCC order says if Ligado interferes with government GPS it’ll have to replace or repair that equipment.
“But, they didn’t say anything about private. So, all the farmers and other users of data – construction and everything else – so this bill would put Ligado on the hook. They said it’s not supposed to interfere but we’ll see.”
The RETAIN GPS and Satellite Communications Act is sponsored by
Senator Mike Rounds of South Dakota, Tammy Duckworth of Illinois and James Inhofe of Oklahoma.
Censky made his comments about GPS after declaring ASA’s support for increased broadband funding in the bipartisan infrastructure package during the AGree panel discussion on ag data innovation.
