Defining Gaps to Identify Solutions

Defining Gaps to Identify Solutions

By Olivia Key

Having the ability to utilize the internet’s full abilities can benefit virtually anyone, especially farmers. The future of farming in America depends heavily on rural broadband access. According to a 2019 study conducted by the United Soybean Board (USB) and the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, farmers need reliable internet access in their fields and outbuildings, not just their home, but the majority of American farmers lack the connectivity needed for sustainable, data-driven agricultural practices.

Today’s farmers rely on connectivity in the field to share, process and pinpoint data such as yield and soil fertility maps, solutions to crop and livestock problems, machinery maintenance, and to ensure technology like autosteer, drones, and sensors function properly. There is also important information that directly impacts daily business decisions only available via the internet, like commodity markets, weather, historical and current production data, and industry updates.

USB’s study, “Rural Broadband and the American Farmer: Connectivity Challenges Limit Agriculture’s Economic Impact and Sustainability,” notes that reliable broadband access is directly correlated with sustainability practices, as connected technologies allow farmers to monitor their inputs and outputs to create opportunities for efficient resource management. In addition, internet access allows for a steady line of communication from farmer to farmer. Todd Main, Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) Director of Market Development says, “Access to quality broadband can improve adoption rates of sustainability practices as farmers can compare their individual farm conditions against others in real time to evaluate impacts and reduce risk to production.”

When it comes to sustainable farming, precision agriculture is an important topic of discussion, as it optimizes fertilizer application by reducing overlap and varying the rate of inputs, which can increase farmers’ productivity and profitability. “Reliable broadband will allow growers to adopt the latest production innovations and efficiencies associated with precision agriculture. This technological advancement has the potential to increase yields and income to growers while reducing costs of inputs through better application management,” says Main. Additionally, precision agriculture can assist in improving water and soil quality and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

USB’s research found that close to 60 percent of American farmers and ranchers believe they do not have adequate internet connectivity to effectively run their businesses, and 78 percent have just one internet service provider option.

The study conducted in 2019 included a qualitative and quantitative survey of 2,054 farmers and ranchers in hopes to better understand the realities of online connectivity for those who live in rural areas. Research points to a gap between rural and nonrural broadband access, as rural residents were 12 percent less likely to have adequate internet connectivity; however, the definition of rural used in the study mimics that of the U.S. Census Bureau: any population, housing or territory not in an urban area, which is defined as less than 2,500 people.

While farmers represent just a fraction of rural residents, the $133 billion they contribute to the U.S. economy is often the economic driving force of their own communities, and with 60 percent not having reliable internet, approximately $80 billion of that is contributed by farms that run on limited connectivity.

Most American farmers brave the impact of poor inter- net connection, which makes improving farm economic and environmental sustainability and reinvesting in their businesses inherently difficult. They do their best to preserve and improve their farms and natural resources, but lack of clear data to make decisions hinders the need for continuous improvement. And with the constant changes and growth in the agriculture industry, their demand for reliable internet access is expected to grow as technology continues to advance.

The “Rural Broadband and the American Farmer: Connectivity Challenges Limit Agriculture’s Economic Impact and Sustainability” study conducted by USB allows us to better understand how and why farmers require reliable online connectivity, and how they currently reap economic and sustainability benefits from their mediocre internet access. This value could see a significant increase with rural broadband access that is comparable to the fast and reliable internet most industries depend on to keep moving forward.

To learn more and to read the full report from the United Soybean Board, visit https://www. unitedsoybean.org/hopper/ study-rural-broadband-ag-technology/.