From seed and fertilizer orders to purchasing products and equipment, online business activity is reshaping how U.S. farmers operate. The latest biennial USDA survey shows not only more devices and stronger rural broadband access on farms but also a considerable rise in using the internet to purchase agricultural inputs and conduct marketing activities – a shift that underscores the growing role of digital tools in day-to-day farm management.
“Farm Computer Usage and Ownership,” released in August, summarizes responses collected in the USDA’s annual June survey. Questions related to computer access and use are added to the survey in odd-numbered years. The 2025 computer usage estimates are based on responses from more than 28,000 agricultural operations and represent all sizes and types of farms.
Computer use continues to grow
The 2025 survey found overall farm computer access, ownership, internet access and computer use for farm business has increased in the past two years.
Nationally, about 85% of farms have access to the internet in 2025. Of those, 55% of internet-connected farms utilized a broadband connection, while 74% of internet-connected farms had access through a cellular data plan. About 24% connect to the internet via satellite, and just 1% still use a dial-up connection.
Farmers were asked about their use of smartphones and tablets. Based on survey responses, 82% of farms own or use a smartphone in 2025. The use of tablets or other portable wireless computers also increased 3% from 2023 to 35%. The use of desktop or laptop computers also decreased 1% from 2023 to 68%.
The USDA survey also collected information on the use of precision agriculture practices to manage crops and livestock, which decreased 5% from 2023. About 22% of survey respondents said they use technology to cover a wide range of management practices, including global positioning (GPS) guidance systems, GPS yield monitoring and soil mapping, variable-rate input applications, use of drones for scouting fields or monitoring livestock, electronic tagging, precision feeding, auto milking and others.
Conducting business
In 2025, 50% of farms used the internet to purchase agricultural inputs, which was an increase of 18% from 2023. Additionally, 29% of farms used the internet to market agricultural activities, which was an increase of 6% from 2023. At the same time, use of the internet to access non-agricultural websites declined.
