High-speed internet is “nonexistent” in Warren County, North Carolina, according to Patrick Brown, a fourth-generation Hecks Grove farmer. His internet is very slow, similar to dial-up. 

Warren County has one of the lowest broadband-adoption scores in the state, according to North Carolina Broadband Index. Now, federal funding through the American Rescue Act is sending waves of infrastructure investment into Warren County.

Federal funding for Warren County broadband, includes the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund, the Growing Rural Economic with Access to Technology (GREAT) grant program, the Completing Access to Broadband (CAB) grant and a USDA ReConnect grant of $17.5 million to southern Warren County and Halifax County, including Haliwa-Saponi tribal areas. The next step, Stop-Gap Solutions, will provide grants to area internet providers to serve those homes and businesses that still lack high-speed internet.

These efforts are backed by federal funding under the American Rescue Plan and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, demonstrating a commitment to revitalizing rural economies. They have garnered widespread community support, underscoring a shared vision for a connected future. 

Imagine a Warren County where every farm and business is seamlessly connected. The first of the broadband construction projects broke ground in June 2024. The community envisions a future where better technology drives sustainable growth across sectors, from agriculture to tourism.

For Patrick Brown, broadband means more than just faster internet—it’s a catalyst for economic growth. “With reliable internet,” says Brown, “we can scale up our operations, implement precision farming techniques, and explore new markets, all of which contribute to a stronger local economy.”

Brown also owns The Connect Group LLC. The company provides outreach, education and technical assistance to businesses, organizations, and other farmers on regenerative agriculture and how to access the market for specialty and commodity crops.

Wind and storms make his current, slow internet even spottier. “We have blackouts, but we still have to work,” he said. “I have to go 15-20 miles to go to a local library as a backup plan.”

It’s not just the work inside that is slowed by poor internet. “On the beautiful days that we’re able to be out and working in the fields, we cannot rely on GPS systems,” he said. “Most new equipment is run by GPS, geotracking or some type of satellite imagery systems.”

Doing it manually takes a lot more of a farmer’s time. “It’s the small things like processing payroll in a timely fashion or waking up after a heavy rain and, because all of our telecommunication lines are underground, we don’t have internet,” Brown said.

Brown bought the former plantation where his great-grandfather Byron Brown had been enslaved with plans to convert the house into an event venue, museum and cultural center. Patrick currently farms land that Byron acquired after the Civil War.

Broadband will help Brown connect with clients and could market a transformed Oakley Grove Plantation. He can run drones for integrated pest management programs, manage irrigation, track light, wind, and humidity in high tunnels, and run equipment more efficiently. All of this technology would allow him to spend more time in the field, doing what he loves. 

Like his neighbors in Warren, Brown poised to harness the full potential of broadband technology. As infrastructure develops and businesses adapt, the community is primed to capitalize on new opportunities, paving the way for sustained economic growth.

The American Rescue Plan Act was a stimulus package passed by the 117th U.S. Congress in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was signed into law in March of 2021 by President Joe Biden to aid in the country’s economic recovery.