USDA Requests $230 Million for Rural Broadband and Telehealth, a Decline Over Previous Budgets
The agriculture department proposed canceling $40 million in unused ReConnect funds in 2027 budget.
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.
Similar to the Federal Communications Commission, the budget shows USDA cuts in staffing for agencies such as the Farm Service Agency and Natural Resources Conservation Service among others.
USDA’s proposed budget supports $200 million in telecommunications loans through the USDA’s Rural Utilities Service, funded by the Federal Financing Bank under the Rural Electrification Act.
The program provides low-cost loans for broadband infrastructure in rural areas where private investment is limited. The funding supports fiber construction and expansion of high-speed internet to homes, farms, and businesses.
The budget includes $30 million for Distance Learning and Telemedicine grants, including $3 million for the Delta Region and funding to address the opioid epidemic.
The program provides grants to expand access to remote education and healthcare services. Funding supports telehealth equipment, mental health services, distance learning systems, and connections between providers and specialists.
USDA's budget proposes canceling $40 million in unobligated balances from the ReConnect pilot program, which funds broadband deployment through grants and loans.
The funds have not been committed to projects. USDA said existing funding was sufficient and should be directed toward completing current projects.
The White House 2027 proposal did not include the same broadband allocations.
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