- Joining the American Connection Project Broadband Coalition
to Support Advocacy and Connectivity Improvement Efforts
- Donating $1 for Every App Download – Up to $1 Million – to
the Efforts of the American Connection Project to Close the Digital
Divide
- Offering Free High-Speed Internet Access for Guests in
Select Store Parking Lots
- Contributed 3,000 Chromebooks to Hourly Team Members with
School-age Children
Tractor Supply Company, the largest rural lifestyle retailer in
the United States, announced today that it is joining the American
Connection Project Broadband Coalition (ACPBC or “Coalition”) to
bring high-speed internet infrastructure to rural areas. By joining
the Coalition, Tractor Supply will look to leverage its resources
to help bridge the rural digital divide. Through the Tractor Supply
Company Foundation, the Company will donate $1 for every download
of its mobile app before the end of the year (12/31), up to $1
million, to the efforts of the American Connection Project to close
the digital divide. The initiative is one of several the Company is
pursuing in its effort to increase internet connectivity in rural
communities across the U.S.
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Tractor Supply is donating up to $1
million to bring high-speed internet to rural communities. Through
the Tractor Supply Company Foundation, the Company is donating $1
for every Tractor Supply app download to the efforts of the
American Connection Project to close the digital divide. (Photo:
Business Wire)
“As the largest rural lifestyle retailer in the United States,
Tractor Supply is committed to supporting those who live and love
this lifestyle,” said Hal Lawton, President and CEO of Tractor
Supply. “Internet connectivity is vital to conducting business,
accessing healthcare and learning across America, yet our rural
communities seldom have it. Our nation relies heavily on these
communities, so it is imperative we all work together to ensure
they have what they need to thrive. By joining the American
Connection Project Broadband Coalition and participating in these
initiatives to close the digital gap, we are striving to do just
that.”
“Like Land O’Lakes and so many of our partners in the American
Connection Project Broadband Coalition, Tractor Supply Company
understands that strong businesses are enabled by strong
communities that provide strong operating environments,” said Beth
Ford, President and CEO of Land O’Lakes, Inc. “The coronavirus
pandemic has shown how dependent we all are on being connected to
one another, and how much those who lack reliable internet access
are at risk of falling behind. We are enormously grateful that
Tractor Supply is joining our coalition, and we look forward to
working with them to close the digital divide.”
The Federal Communications Commission estimates that roughly 18
million Americans lack access to broadband, the majority of whom
are in rural America. According to the U.S. Department of
Agriculture, roughly 60% of farmers in the U.S. lack sufficient
connectivity to run their business, while 25% of farms have no
internet access whatsoever. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic,
internet connectivity has become even more important, providing the
primary link to business transactions, online classes, telehealth
appointments, social interactions and news.
American Connection Project Broadband
Coalition
Tractor Supply joins more than 100 organizations from multiple
industries including agriculture, tech, finance, healthcare,
education and more, who are members of the American Connection
Project Broadband Coalition, which was spearheaded by farmer-owned
cooperative Land O’Lakes, Inc. Officially launched in July 2020,
the Coalition spans organizations across multiple industries, who
are dedicated to helping close America’s digital divide. The ACPBC
advocates for public and private sector investment to bring
high-speed internet infrastructure to areas that lack access, in
addition to advocating for policies and contributing their own
resources to facilitate remote education, health and mental health
services, job opportunities and more, with the goal of connecting
and lifting up all American communities through access to modern
digital technology.
$1 Donation for Every App
Download
In early July, Tractor Supply launched its first-ever mobile app
to provide a more convenient way for customers to shop their
favorite products straight from their mobile device without relying
on a computer or Wi-Fi.
While customers can now shop more seamlessly thanks to the
mobile app, Tractor Supply recognizes that a lack of reliable
internet connectivity affects all facets of life, especially in the
face of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. To help alleviate the
challenges customers face, the Tractor Supply Company Foundation is
committing $1 for every app download before the end of the year
(12/31) – up to $1 million – to support broadband improvements in
rural areas such as access points through the 4-H organization,
libraries and county extension offices.
The app, which helps customers shop faster, track orders,
schedule deliveries and check Neighbor’s Club rewards, is available
through the Apple Store or on Google Play. The Company is actively
rolling out new features to the app to improve shopping convenience
and accessibility.
Public Wi-Fi Access at Select
Stores
Tractor Supply is also working to bring broadband access to
rural areas through its partnership with fellow ACPBC member
Microsoft on its Airband Initiative, which seeks to close the
digital divide and extend broadband access to over 3 million
unserved people in rural America by July 2022. As part of this
program, Tractor Supply will pilot free Wi-Fi access from select
store parking lots during operating hours. This will allow the
public to have high-speed internet access, excluding streaming
capabilities, from the privacy and social distance of their
vehicles.
Initial pilots with Airband partner Internet Service Providers
at Tractor Supply stores have shown success – in Lima, Ohio, with
Watch Communications and Stephenville, Texas, with NextLink
Internet. With a store base of 1,900 stores across 49 states,
Tractor Supply anticipates the potential rollout of public Wi-Fi to
continue across its store footprint based on its experience with
the initial stores in the pilot.
Chromebooks for Team Members’
Families
To alleviate additional challenges families in rural areas face
from the shift to virtual learning, Tractor Supply has provided –
free of charge – 3,000 Chromebook computers to hourly Team Members
with school-age children.
“Distance learning is difficult for any family, but perhaps even
more so for our many Team Member families who live in these rural
areas,” Lawton explained. “Closing the digital divide will be an
ongoing process, but providing new, high-speed equipment is
something we can do immediately to make this difficult transition
just a bit easier.”
For more information about the donation initiative as well as
all of Tractor Supply’s efforts to support rural communities, visit
Corporate.TractorSupply.com/Community.
About Tractor Supply
Company
Tractor Supply Company (NASDAQ: TSCO), the largest rural
lifestyle retailer in the United States, has been passionate about
serving its unique niche, as a one-stop shop for recreational
farmers, ranchers and all those who enjoy living the rural
lifestyle, for more than 80 years. Tractor Supply offers an
extensive mix of products necessary to care for home, land, pets
and animals with a focus on product localization, exclusive brands
and legendary customer service that addresses the needs of the Out
Here lifestyle. With more than 38,000 Team Members, the Company
leverages its physical store assets with digital capabilities to
offer customers the convenience of purchasing products they need
anytime, anywhere and any way they choose at the everyday low
prices they deserve. At June 27, 2020, the Company operated 1,881
Tractor Supply stores in 49 states and an e-commerce website at
www.TractorSupply.com.
Tractor Supply Company also owns and operates Petsense, a
small-box pet specialty supply retailer focused on meeting the
needs of pet owners, primarily in small and mid-size communities,
and offering a variety of pet products and services. At June 27,
2020, the Company operated 180 Petsense stores in 25 states. For
more information on Petsense, visit www.Petsense.com.
To stay up to date on all things for Life Out Here, follow
Tractor Supply on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
About Land O’Lakes, Inc.
Land O'Lakes, Inc., one of America's premier agribusiness and
food companies, is a member-owned cooperative with industry-leading
operations that span the spectrum from agricultural production to
consumer foods. With 2019 annual sales of $14 billion, Land O'Lakes
is one of the nation's largest cooperatives, ranking 232 on the
Fortune 500. Building on a legacy of more than 99 years of
operation, Land O'Lakes today operates some of the most respected
brands in agribusiness and food production including Land O’Lakes
Dairy Foods, Purina Animal Nutrition, WinField United and Truterra.
The company does business in all 50 states and more than 60
countries. Land O'Lakes, Inc. corporate headquarters are located in
Arden Hills, Minnesota.
About Microsoft Airband
Microsoft’s Airband Initiative is an effort to close the digital
divide and bring broadband access to 3 million people in unserved
rural communities in the United States by July 2022. The Airband
Initiative combines private–sector capital investment in new
technologies and rural broadband deployments with public–sector
financial and regulatory support. More information can be found at
News.Microsoft.com/Rural-Broadband.
About American Connection Project
Broadband Coalition
The American Connection Project Broadband Coalition represents
more than 100 companies and organizations who are working together
to bring high-speed internet access to all U.S. households, with a
focus on those in rural areas. The Coalition understands that
digital connectivity is not a luxury, but rather is a lifeline for
education, health, modern food production, and economic growth.
Drawing from their cross-sector expertise and experience in rural
communities, the members are making private investments to bridge
the digital divide while advocating at the state and federal levels
for permanent solutions. More information can be found at
AmericanConnectionProject.com.
View source
version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200909005377/en/
Tractor Supply Company Contacts: Mary Winn Pilkington
(615) 440-4212 Mackenzie Goldman (615) 440-4360
Land O’Lakes, Inc. Contacts: Brooke Dillon (651)
202-1670
Microsoft Contacts: WE Communications for Microsoft (425)
638-7777
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