There’s no question that technology is the way of the future, including in the agricultural industry. It is becoming more and more evident, however, that the agricultural industry is slower to adapt and accept Ag technology changes when compared to many other industries.
This is an interesting phenomenon as it is clear that those who have adopted technology into their farm operation have seen improvement and increased efficiencies in their farming operations and crop yield.
Still, a recent Farm Journal survey found that 40% of farmers say none of their fleets are connected to stream data to a cloud-based system. This has us wondering, what is the barrier to adopting even the most basic of Ag Technologies for farmers.
Generational Barriers
One of the most prevalent patterns found is the average age of farmers across America. Up to 20% of the farming population in the United States was born before World War II and very few farm operators represent the youngest working generation, Gen Z.
It is evident that older generations are more hesitant to adopt new technology in their farming operations for a variety of reasons, mostly surrounding unfamiliarity. Comfort level is one of the biggest barriers Along with these additional factors
- Farm size
- Age
- Wealth
- Type of Farm
- Number of Generations
- Birth Year of Farm Operator
The Future of Farming
What does this mean for the future? Well if we look at the biggest and fastest growing up-and-coming farming generation, millennials, age 25-40 we see much less hesitancy to adapt Ag technology. In fact, the use of new technology in farming is actually drawing more and more millennial farmers to the field. This is good news all around.
All this to say, Farmers who fear they are falling behind in farm technology might not be as behind as they think. It usually takes 15 years for a new technology to reach critical mass and studies have shown that farmers have been even slower to adopt new technology.
Ag Technology has been around for at least two decades and is continuing to develop quickly. Now is the time to start adapting and implementing.
We know, with many choices now on the market today, it can be hard to know where to begin. Start with Pipe AG. Pipe Ag is a technology company that was created by farmers, for farmers. Our hardware and software solutions bridge the gaps between all of the moving pieces involved in harvesting. Best of all, it’s simple to use, and it’s designed to integrate with your existing equipment. If you’re ready to experience the next wave in smart farming, Contact us today