AGRICULTURAL ALCHEMY
CONSERVATION AND INNOVATION
More farmers are leveraging technology and conservation to increase revenue and efficiency.
It is estimated that global food production will need to increase as much as 70 percent to meet growing demand by 2050. To achieve this, more American farmers and ranchers are adopting technology and conservation farming practices to increase food production, reduce inputs, and expand revenue streams.
Farms with internet access increased by four percent from 2017 to 2022.
Farms with renewable energy-producing systems increased by 15 percent from 2017 to 2022.
Farmland acres with cover crops increased by 17 percent from 2017 to 2022.
Farmland acres with no-till increased a subtle one percent from 2017 to 2022.
Farms that use precision ag technology increased by 12 percent from 2017 to 2022.
Internet Access and Technology
Reliable internet access is becoming a necessity for farmers if they are to succeed in this technologically driven age. As much as 79 percent of farms now have internet access, representing a four percent growth from 2017.
Access to technology is key in technological adoption, as it can enhance efficiency and reduce required inputs for production. A new metric added to the 2022 Census of Agriculture was the number of farms that currently use precision agriculture technology. Precision agriculture, characterized by advanced technology such as GPS, drones, and data analytics, is being used on a notable 226,092 farms (12 percent of total farms). This will be an interesting data point to monitor in future censuses, but most experts agree we will see this number increase alongside broadband connectivity rates.
Distribution of Farm Internet Access
(by percentage distribution)
MOBILE
BROADBAND
SATELLITE
DIAL-UP
OTHER
Digital connectivity in rural communities empowers farmers with real-time data, precision tools, and market information, enabling informed decision-making and improved efficiency across operations. But it also highlights the increasing need for cybersecurity measures to protect our farmers and food system.
Conservation Farming Practices
The 2022 ag census also highlighted that conservation practices are gaining traction among farmers. Cover crops, which help improve soil health, prevent erosion, and enhance biodiversity, are used on nearly 18 million acres of U.S. farmland, reflecting a 17 percent increase from 2017.
Cover Crop Trends
(by acre groups, excluding CRP, 2017 to 2022)
Sources: USDA
The use of no-till or reduced till farming methods—a conservation practice used with the goal to conserve soil moisture and reduce erosion—has remained steady for the most part, with just over 202 million acres.
No-Till Trends
(by acre groups, 2017 to 2022)
Reduced Till Trends
(by acre groups, excluding no till, 2017 to 2022)
Sources: USDA
DID YOU KNOW?
According to a 2024 McKinsey survey, small-scale farmers see implementation support as the biggest roadblock for adopting more sustainable practices, while mid to large-scale farmers view obtaining a market premium and generating additional revenue as the biggest barriers.
Renewable Energy
The 2022 census found a 15 percent increase in farms that are now leveraging renewable energy producing systems as an additional revenue stream. However, some renewable energy-producing systems have higher rates of adoption than others.
Farms Using Renewable Energy Producing Systems in 2022
(percentage change from 2017 to 2022)
Increase of total farms using renewable energy producing systems
SOLAR PANELS (+30%)
WIND TURBINES (+3%)
METHANE DIGESTERS (-1%)
GEOTHERMAL/GEOEXCHANGE SYSTEMS (-6%)
SMALL HYDRO SYSTEMS (+50%)
LEASED WIND RIGHTS (+2%)
Solar has the highest rate of adoption by a landslide, with California leading the way at over 68,800 GWh of solar electricity generated in 2023—more than double the output of any other state. Texas came in second at 31,700 GWh, followed by Florida, North Carolina, and Arizona.
