Despite efforts to expand the availability of broadband to rural areas, people are still dialing up the Internet on the wide majority of wired US farms - 69% of them - according to new data released by USDA this summer. The finding was part of a survey of Farm Computer Usage and Ownership conducted every two years by the National Agricultural Statistics Service.The results of this year's survey were originally released in late July, but were re-released with corrections Friday.Surprisingly, some of the major farm states seem to be the least technologically advanced when it comes to Internet access. Of the Indiana farmers surveyed, for example, 86% said they use a dial-up connection. In Ohio that number is 82%. New Jersey growers are the least likely to be dialing up, with 46% reporting they use such a connection. Instead, 21% of farmers there connect by DSL, and 26% by cable.Wireless technology, the next new thing, is making inroads in many states, with Arizona leading the pack. Fifteen percent of farmers there say they connect wirelessly, while just 3% of farmers there connect via cable, and 10% connect by DSL. Wireless connections are also gaining converts in New Mexico, Nebraska and Colorado where 8-9% of farmers use them.Here are some of the other key findings:
· Internet access on farms is up slightly since 2003. Nationally, 51% of US farms now have Internet access, compared with 48% in 2003.· 58% of farms have access to a computer in 2005, the same level as 2003.· 55% of all US farms own or lease a computer, up slightly from 54% in 2003.· Farms using computers for their farm business increased to 31% in 2005, up 1% since 2003. Operators were asked if they conducted any non-agricultural business via the Internet in the last 12 months for the first time in 2005; 26% of farms responded "yes."
Usage of computers and the Internet breaks down along economic lines, with the highest-earning farms most likely to have a computer and an Internet connection they use for the business:
· 79% of US farms with sales and government payments of $250,000 or more have access to a computer. 77% own or lease a computer, 66% are using a computer for their farm business, and 72% have Internet access.· For farms with sales and government payments between $100,000 and $249,999, the figures are: 69% have access to a computer, 67% own or lease a computer, 51% are using a computer for their farm business, and 59% have Internet access.· For farms with sales and government payments between $10,000 and $99,999, 54% reported having computer access, 51% own or lease a computer, 33% use a computer for their farm business, and 46% have Internet access.
Crop and livestock farmers are pretty much equally likely to have a computer they use for their farm business - but the trend is leveling off for crop farmers, and increasing for livestock producers:
· For crop farms, 60% have computer access and 33% usea computer for their farm business in 2005, the same as 2003. Internet access for crop farms has increased to 52% in 2005 compared to 49% in 2003.· For livestock farms, 57% have computer access and 29% use a computer for their farm business, up 2% from 2003. Half now have Internet access.
It's also interesting to note that farmers in New England are the most likely to say they use their computers for their farm business (52%) while those in New Mexico and Louisiana are least likely (16% each). As for Internet access, Wyoming farmers are the most likely to be online (77%) with New England farmers close behind (76%). At the other end of the spectrum, just 30% of farmers in Kentucky are online.New England farmers are also the most likely to buy agricultural inputs and to conduct agricultural marketing activities online. Those activities include direct sales of commodities, online crop and livestock auctions, online market advisory services, and commodity price tracking among other things.The New England marketing trend is driven by strong reliance on the Internet by farms that earn $250,000 or more per year (23%) and farms in the 10,000-$99,000 range (21%). Of the farms with income between the two groups, interestingly, just 16% say they use the Internet in this way.
How do you connect?
Shed some light on the Internet useage trends USDA uncovered by answering two new AgPolls on Agriculture Online's Computers Talk group. After you answer the poll, post your thoughts about your local situation in a poll comment:
• How do you connect to the Internet? >>
• Why do you still use dial-up? >>
Despite efforts to expand the availability of broadband to rural areas, people are still dialing up the Internet on the wide majority of wired US farms - 69% of them - according to new data released by USDA this summer. The finding was part of a survey of Farm Computer Usage and Ownership conducted every two years by the National Agricultural Statistics Service.The results of this year's survey were originally released in late July, but were re-released with corrections Friday.Surprisingly, some of the major farm states seem to be the least technologically advanced when it comes to Internet access. Of the Indiana farmers surveyed, for example, 86% said they use a dial-up connection. In Ohio that number is 82%. New Jersey growers are the least likely to be dialing up, with 46% reporting they use such a connection. Instead, 21% of farmers there connect by DSL, and 26% by cable.Wireless technology, the next new thing, is making inroads in many states, with Arizona leading the pack. Fifteen percent of farmers there say they connect wirelessly, while just 3% of farmers there connect via cable, and 10% connect by DSL. Wireless connections are also gaining converts in New Mexico, Nebraska and Colorado where 8-9% of farmers use them.Here are some of the other key findings:
· Internet access on farms is up slightly since 2003. Nationally, 51% of US farms now have Internet access, compared with 48% in 2003.· 58% of farms have access to a computer in 2005, the same level as 2003.· 55% of all US farms own or lease a computer, up slightly from 54% in 2003.· Farms using computers for their farm business increased to 31% in 2005, up 1% since 2003. Operators were asked if they conducted any non-agricultural business via the Internet in the last 12 months for the first time in 2005; 26% of farms responded "yes."
Usage of computers and the Internet breaks down along economic lines, with the highest-earning farms most likely to have a computer and an Internet connection they use for the business:
· 79% of US farms with sales and government payments of $250,000 or more have access to a computer. 77% own or lease a computer, 66% are using a computer for their farm business, and 72% have Internet access.· For farms with sales and government payments between $100,000 and $249,999, the figures are: 69% have access to a computer, 67% own or lease a computer, 51% are using a computer for their farm business, and 59% have Internet access.· For farms with sales and government payments between $10,000 and $99,999, 54% reported having computer access, 51% own or lease a computer, 33% use a computer for their farm business, and 46% have Internet access.
Crop and livestock farmers are pretty much equally likely to have a computer they use for their farm business - but the trend is leveling off for crop farmers, and increasing for livestock producers:
· For crop farms, 60% have computer access and 33% usea computer for their farm business in 2005, the same as 2003. Internet access for crop farms has increased to 52% in 2005 compared to 49% in 2003.· For livestock farms, 57% have computer access and 29% use a computer for their farm business, up 2% from 2003. Half now have Internet access.
It's also interesting to note that farmers in New England are the most likely to say they use their computers for their farm business (52%) while those in New Mexico and Louisiana are least likely (16% each). As for Internet access, Wyoming farmers are the most likely to be online (77%) with New England farmers close behind (76%). At the other end of the spectrum, just 30% of farmers in Kentucky are online.New England farmers are also the most likely to buy agricultural inputs and to conduct agricultural marketing activities online. Those activities include direct sales of commodities, online crop and livestock auctions, online market advisory services, and commodity price tracking among other things.The New England marketing trend is driven by strong reliance on the Internet by farms that earn $250,000 or more per year (23%) and farms in the 10,000-$99,000 range (21%). Of the farms with income between the two groups, interestingly, just 16% say they use the Internet in this way.
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