Research conducted by Successful Farming magazine this year shows that farmers are quickly adopting smartphone technology and, in fact, are making greater use of the devices than does the general public. 

“The survey shows that farmers are using smartphones more as a working tool and less for entertainment,” says Alejandro Munoz de la Cruz, market research coordinator at Successful Farming magazine. 

Farmers are conducting a range of work-related chores with the devices including sending/receiving email; checking weather, news, and markets; and text messaging family and employees. 

More than 70% of survey respondents say they access ag-related information and services on their phones. 

Farmers increasingly prefer to get to the Internet with their mobile phones vs. other devices.  

About a third of survey respondents say they use their mobile phones to access the Internet as much as they do with other devices, such as desktop computers. The same number say they use their phones to access the Internet daily. 

Younger farmers are making greater use of smartphones: 71% of respondents under age 39 say they own a smartphone, compared with the overall total of 39%. 

These findings square with several surveys over the past year that show farmers increasingly are adopting the technology, Munoz de la Cruz says.