NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RFD-TV) — Rural broadband growth is reshaping how farms across the South connect and compete. A new USDA survey released in August 2025 shows sharp increases in online input purchases and marketing activity, even as some producers scale back precision agriculture tools amid tighter margins.
The biennial Farm Computer Usage and Ownership survey — conducted by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service since 1997 — tracks how producers access and use internet-based technologies in their operations.
Between 2023 and 2025, every southern state reported higher rates of farmers buying agricultural inputs online, with Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Texas each recording more than 100 percent growth. About half of U.S. farms now report purchasing inputs over the internet. Roughly 25 percent of southern farms conduct agricultural marketing activities online — slightly below the 29 percent national average — though participation fell in Georgia and Missouri.
Precision agriculture adoption moved in the opposite direction, explains Devon Mills, Assistant Professor with Mississippi State Extension. Seven southern states, including Tennessee, North Carolina, and Alabama, saw declines in use between 2023 and 2025, mirroring a 19 percent national drop. Analysts suggest producers may be pausing high-cost technologies to reduce expenses, even as internet-based tools become central to daily operations.
Farm-Level Takeaway: Southern farms are deepening online engagement for cost savings and market access, while higher-cost precision technologies face renewed scrutiny amid tight budgets.
November 13, 2025 01:28 PM
David Hardin with the Indiana Soybean Alliance discusses USMEF’s push to open new global export markets for both meat and soy-based feed.
November 13, 2025 01:10 PM
·
Some sustainability shifts are not particularly challenging and can be implemented with resources already available to farmers and ranchers on their operations.
November 13, 2025 01:00 PM
·
With the U.S.–Vietnam agreement nearing signature, U.S. cotton, corn, and soybean exporters could lock in new demand lanes just as global supply shifts.
November 13, 2025 11:33 AM
·
RealAg Radio host Shaun Haney shares insights from a recent study, discusses EV market access in Canada, and highlights other market opportunities top of mind for Canadian producers.
November 12, 2025 03:19 PM
·
Winter weather will challenge livestock producers working to rebuild their herds despite harsh conditions.
November 12, 2025 01:20 PM
·
Enforceable origin labels could create clearer premiums for U.S. cattle and address concerns some producers have had with competition from foreign imported beef.
November 12, 2025 12:39 PM
·
Rural businesses report softer sales, tougher hiring, and restrained investment — a backdrop that can pinch farm support capacity even if posted prices cool.
November 12, 2025 12:22 PM
·
Friday’s release will be the first WASDE report in about two months, and early estimates indicate a corn surplus is still on the way.
November 12, 2025 12:16 PM
·
