9 findings from USDA Farm Computer Usage report

USDA released its Farm Computer Usage and Ownership report on Aug. 18, 2017.

Here are some of the findings:

1. Nationally, 73% of farms have computer access. Of those, 72% own or lease a computer, up 1 point from 2015, when the survey was last completed.
2. Most farmers access the Internet via Digital Subscriber Line, or DSL, with 29% using this, down from 30% in 2015. A satellite connection was second, stable at 21% from 2015. Mobile Internet was used by 17% of farmers, cable modem service is at 15%, fiber optic is at 8% and dialup service is at 2%.
3. Computer usage for farm business is at 47% nationally, up 4% from 2015.
4. 52% of crop producers use the computer for farm business, compared to 42% of livestock producers.
5. 39% of producers use a tablet or smart phone for farm business.
6. 85% of farmers with sales of $250,000 or more have computer access.
7. 76% of farmers with sales of $100,000 to $249,999 have computer access.
8. 70% of farmers with sales of $10,000 to $99,999 have computer access.
9. 71% of farmers with sales of $1,000 to $9,999 have computer access.

Source: USDA NASS