Washington farmers, computers and the internet

Washington Ag Today November 26, 2009 Most Washington farmers and ranchers with internet access connect by DSL but the use of wireless to get on the web is catching up. A new survey on computer and internet usage by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service shows that 77 percent of Washington farmers and ranchers have internet access, up from 69 percent in 2007. Of those, 29 percent connect by DSL, 24 percent by dial up, but wireless connection has increased from just five percent two years ago to 20 percent in 2009.

As for the use of computers for farm and ranch business;

Hintzman: “That’s actually leveling off.”

That’s Kevin Hintzman of NASS referring to the national trend, which is also true in Washington, where the use of computers for farm business was unchanged from 2007 to 2009 at fifty percent.

Less than a quarter of Washington farmers and ranchers purchase agricultural inputs over the internet and only 16 percent use the web for marketing purposes. Just nine percent use the internet to conduct business with the USDA.

Washington residents can help shape the state's responses to climate change at a meeting December 10th in Wenatchee. Several state agencies will meet with interested citizens to talk about ideas being considered to help prepare for a changing climate. The state Legislature directed several departments, including Agriculture to develop a strategy. The agencies must finish an
initial strategy by December first, two-thousand-eleven.

The December 10th meeting is at the Wenatchee Public Library from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

I’m Bob Hoff and that’s Washington Ag Today on the Northwest Ag Information Network.