USDA Report Says Farmers Adopting Precision Ag at Different Rates

Farmers are adopting precision technologies at different rates.  A USDA report says the largest farms are adopting auto-steer guidance technology at significantly higher rates.  After sorting farms into five equally-sized groups, the agency found that among farmers who were growing corn in 2016, 73% of farms in the largest category adopted guidance at the highest rates.

The rates were similar for the largest farms growing other commodities in later years: 82% of the largest winter wheat farms in 2017, 68% of the largest soybean farms in 2018, and 67% of the largest cotton farms in 2019.  Adoption rates were smaller among the smallest farms in the country: 10% of the smallest corn farms in 2016, 11% of the smallest soybean farms in 2018, and 7% of the smallest winter wheat farms in 2017.  However, 50% of the smallest cotton farms have adopted the technology.

If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-9791, or e-mail glenn.vaagen@townsquaremedia.com