Oregon leads nation in percentage of farms utilizing computers for business purposes
Oregon farms rank high in utilizing computers

August 13, 2003... Computers have become as essential to most Oregon farmers and ranchers as tractors or any other common type of equipment found in an agricultural operation. Results of a nationwide survey indicate Oregon is a leader when it comes to farm computer usage and ownership.

"I'm not surprised that Oregon ranks high in the survey," says Mark Stuller, information systems analyst with the Oregon Department of Agriculture. "Oregon has always been a leader and technology is just another area where that is the case. What is surprising to me is the gap between the western states and the rest of the U.S."

According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, which conducted the nationwide survey, Oregon is among the leaders of all states in farms with computer access. Currently, 78% of Oregon farms have access to a computer with 76% actually owning or leasing computers. Only Idaho has higher percentages at 81% and 77% respectively. Nationally, only 58% of farms have access to computers with 54% owning or leasing computers.

Oregon farmers and ranchers have seen the value of the computer when it comes to the daily operation. At 49%, the state leads the nation in the percentage of farms that utilize computers as part of the farm business. Idaho is second at 46% with Montana third at 44%. The national average is just 30%. Oregon also leads the nation in the percentage of farms with internet access, at 72%, some 24 percentage points higher than the national average.

Generally speaking, the Pacific Northwest fares well in comparison to the rest of the nation when it comes to farms with computers. A solid majority of Oregon farmers and ranchers appears to have welcomed high technology as an important tool.

"Like any other modern business technology, computers have given farmers an edge," says Stuller. "But, I think Oregon's high percentages may be a testament to the type of customers that our farmers serve. Our producers serve people around the globe certainly more than, say, a Midwestern state whose customers more often tend to be domestic. The medium of computers and the communication of e-mail is not as time critical and not as sensitive to the disruption of trying to talk to people worldwide. It really fosters that kind of international communication.""

There is more evidence from the survey to show that Oregon agriculture has embraced the computer. Oregon leads all states in purchasing farm inputs, such as pesticides and fertilizers, over the internet, with 20% of growers doing so compared to a national average of just 8%.

Oregon farmers lead the nation (12%) in those conducting agricultural marketing activities over the internet. That includes such things as direct sales of commodities, on-line crop and livestock auctions, on-line market advisory services, and commodity price tracking. The national average is 8%.

Oregon farms (20%) are also using computers to access information from federal government websites far more than farms elsewhere in the U.S. (11%).

The national survey has also broken out, by region, the types and income levels of farms using computer technology. The western states of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, California, Montana, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming are consistently ahead of other U.S. regions, regardless of the type or income level.

In the west, 70% of livestock operations have computer access compared to 69% of the crop farms. Both figures are up from the previous survey in 2001. Also, 66% of livestock operations own or lease computers, compared to 63% of crop farms while 60% of livestock operations have access to the internet compared to 59% of crop farms. However, 43% of the crop farms reported using computers for farm business compared to 39% of livestock operations.

As would be expected, the higher the net sales for the farming operation, the higher the computer usage and ownership. The western states report 79% of those operations with annual sales exceeding $100,000 own or lease computers, 70% of them have internet access, and 68% of them use computers for farm business. That compares with 62% of those with annual sales between $10,000 and $100,000 owning or leasing computers, 58% having internet access, and just 42% using their computers for farm business.

It's clear that Oregon agriculture is at the forefront when it comes to utilizing information technology for business purposes. The reasons for that are not so clear.

"Possibilities include the number of specialty crops grown in Oregon and growers' efforts to develop niche markets and direct market outlets over the internet," says Brent Searle, ODA analyst. "Other reasons might include the adoption of computers and other technology to track and control costs due to high cost structures in Oregon, the growth of the nursery industry and its need for tracking products, labor, and other inputs in high volumes, and, adjustment of the industry to changing market conditions that require more sophisticated accounting, marketing, and business planning activities."

Armed with the knowledge that one of its main customers is relatively computer savvy, the Oregon Department of Agriculture is continuing to offer as many services as possible to farmers and ranchers via its own website. From information about grants and financial resources to filling out a lost or stolen livestock report, ODA is providing the agriculture community options for service 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Computers are more than just a convenience, they have become a necessity for most farmers and ranchers in Oregon. The survey numbers are proof.

For more information, contact Bruce Pokarney at (503) 986-4559.