FARM LIFE others when we can't be in-person. " Donna has been a strong advocate for rural broadband on the Eastern Shore during her time as a director on the Choptank Electric Cooperative board. She also serves on the Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association of Broadband Cooperatives board, representing Choptank Fiber. Donna testified to the Maryland General Assembly in 2020 on behalf of Choptank Electric Cooperative for a bill to allow the co-op to become member-regulated and pursue part of the $20 billion in federal money in 2021 to help cooperatives deliver broadband to rural areas. " I compare the need for rural broadband today to the need for rural electricity in the 1930s and the Rural Electrification Act, " adds Donna. " It was a milestone for farmers on the Eastern Shore to have access to electricity then, just like high-speed internet will be for them now. " Both Donna and Roger both note that their biggest accomplishments are their families and the legacy they are creating on the farm. " It makes you feel good to have something to leave behind for the next generations, and to have your family want to be involved in the business, " says Donna. Scan to learn more about National Agriculture Week co-opliving.com March 2023 ● Cooperative Living ● 27http://www.co-opliving.com