In today's ag environment, reliable, high-speed Internet is becoming a must have for most farmers.

Last week the federal government announced it will invest $500 million to improve broadband infrastructure by the year 2021 through its Connect to Innovate program.

Canadian Federation of Agriculture President Ron Bonnet explained what he'd like to see happen to help get the money flowing.

"If we can get that levered with private companies wanting to do work as well, you might get a lot more bang out of the buck if you had some private partnerships to use some of that money," he said.

Bonnett says he was encouraged to see the commitment to bring high-speed Internet right to the farmer's doorstep.

He adds that cost for rural customers is also a concern, noting in some cases farmers are paying more than their urban counterparts.