Farmers increasingly connected via computer

Here at the Capital Press, we regularly include items in stories that tell people where they can get more information on topics we cover at various websites. Sometimes we hear from readers who say that doesn't help them because they don't have Internet access, or don't use the Internet. But the 2007 Census of Agriculture shows clearly that farmers without Internet access are a shrinking minority.

In fact, farmers in the West are among the best connected group in the country.

According to the 2007 Census of Agriculture:

“The 2007 Census found that 57 percent of all farmers have Internet access, up from 50 percent in 2002. For the first time in 2007, the census also looked at high-speed Internet access. Of those producers accessing the Internet, 58 percent reported having a high-speed connection.”

A look at the map on the demographics for the census shows that farmers in our the four states we cover — California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington — exceed that level of access. More than 50 percent of farmers have Internet access in every single county in our core states. In the 11 worst connected counties in our circulation area, farmers have from 50-59 percent Internet access. Eight of those counties are in Idaho, 2 in California and 1 in Washington. In 166 of 177 counties in our core states, farmers have Internet access rates of at least 60 percent and in dozens of counties, the rate of Internet access is 70 percent or higher.

Facts at a glance
Most connected state (in CP core area): Oregon, where 71.6 percent of farms have Internet access. Washington is a close 2nd at 69.4 percent.
Best broadband access (in CP core area): California, where 43.5 percent of farms have broadband access, Oregon is close 2nd, 43.1 percent

High-speed farmers
Farmers in Hood River County, Ore., rank 3rd nationally among highest percentage of broadband access in rural counties: 70.7 percent of farms in Hood River County (373 of 553 farms) have high speed Internet access. The two counties that have better percentages — Nantucket County, Mass. And Pitkin County, Colo. (where Aspen is located) — only 96 farms total between them.

San Juan County, Wash., ranks 10th nationally in percentage of broadband access: 62.9 percent (183 of 291 farms) have high speed access.

Idaho has the lowest percentage of our 4 states with Internet access and high speed access, but two of the top 50 rural counties in the nation with broad-band access for farmers are in Idaho. Valley County, Idaho, ranks 29th nationally in percentage of broadband access: 56.6 percent (82 of 145 farms) have high-speed access. Madison County, Idaho, ranks 40th nationally in percentage of broadband access: 54.9 percent (247 of 450 farms) have high speed access.

State-by-state breakdown

California
Statewide 53,729, or 66.3 percent, of farms have Internet access. That’s 17.4 percent above the national average. 35,271, or 43.5 percent, have broadband access, which is 32.1 percent about the national average.

In 20 counties designated rural, which only account for 11,498 of 81,020 farms in California, 7,907 farms had Internet access. That’s 68.8 percent of farms in rural counties with Internet access and 4,519, or 39.3 percent, that have broadband access, which is 19.3 percent above the national average.

Idaho
Statewide 16,681, or 65.9 percent, of farms have Internet access. That’s 16.6 percent above the national average. 10,102, or 39.9 percent, have broadband access, which is 21.1 percent above the national average.

In 31 counties designated rural, which account for 15,009 of 25,310 farms in Idaho, 9,822 farms had Internet access. That’s 65.4 percent of farms in rural counties with Internet access and 5,759, or 39.3 percent, that have broadband access, which is 19.3 percent about the national average.

Oregon
Statewide 27,623, or 71.6 percent, of farms have Internet access. That’s 26.7 percent above the national average. 16,634, or 43.1 percent, have broadband access, which is 30.9 percent about the national average.

In 25 counties designated rural, which account for 17,776 or 38,553 farms in Oregon, 12,322 farms had Internet access. That’s 69.3 percent of farms in rural counties with Internet access and 7,078, or 39.8 percent, that have broadband access, which is 20.8 percent about the national average.

Washington
Statewide 27,265, or 69.4 percent, of farms have Internet access. That’s 26.7 percent above the national average. 16,787, or 42.7 percent, have broadband access, which is 29.7 percent about the national average.

In 22 counties designated rural, which account for 16,332 of 39,284 farms in Washington, 11,225 had Internet access. That’s 68.7 percent of farms in rural counties with Internet access and 6,582, or 40.3 percent, that have broadband access, which 22.3 percent about the national average.

The website Daily Yonder: Keeping it Rural has some charts and regional breakdowns of the Census of Agriculture data.

What the census data does not tell us is how people connect to the Internet. How are people in rural areas in particular connecting to the World Wide Web? Do they use cellphone wireless cards, satellite Internet? That we don't know, because those questions weren't asked on the census forms.