The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) hosted Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey and representatives from equipment manufacturers John Deere and HammerHead Trenchless for a panel discussion on Capitol Hill on May 18th focused on the expansion of rural broadband access as part of lawmakers’ work this year on infrastructure.

The event was in conjunction with Infrastructure Week 2017 and was organized as part of AEM’s Infrastructure Vision 2050 initiative. The thought leadership initiative is “focused on crafting a vision for a long-term, national plan for U.S. infrastructure and how we [AEM] will move people, freight and energy in the future.”

Panelists included Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey; Nick Tindall, AEM Senior Director, Government & Industry Relations; Mark Lewellen, Spectrum Advocacy Manager, John Deere; and Hammerhead Trenchless president Kevin Smith. The panel was moderated by Doug Brake, Policy Analyst, ITIF.

Audio is available for download from this event:
Bill Northey comments 2:42
Mark Lewellen comments 5:05
Nick Tindall comments 1:32
Kevin Smith comments 1:32
Panel answers questions 37:41