USDA Requests $230 Million for Rural Broadband and Telehealth, a Decline Over Previous Budgets

WASHINGTON, April 9, 2026 – The country’s agriculture department is requesting $230 million in fiscal year 2027 to support rural broadband and telecommunication programs, according to its budget proposal.

It’s one percent of the $20.8 billion in total discretionary budget authority USDA requested for fiscal year 2027, which begins Oct. 1. The same amount was proposed by Donald Trump in the president’s budget proposal, which called the department “bloated” with “many extraneous programs.”

USDA’s proposed 2027 budget represents a $4.9 billion, or 19 percent, decrease from the 2026 enacted level. It maintains rural broadband funding, including $200 million in loans and $30 million in telehealth grants, while rescinding $40 million in unused funds from the ReConnect pilot program.

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