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DSL was the most common method of accessing the Internet, with 38% of U.S. farms using it, up from 36% in 2009. Dialup access dropped from 23% in 2009 to 12% in 2011. Satellite and wireless were each reported as the primary Internet access methods on 15% and 20% of those U.S. farms with Internet access, respectively. Cable was reported as the primary access method on 11% of the farms, the same level as 2009.
A total of 62% of U.S. farms now have Internet access, compared with 59% in 2009. Sixty-five percent of farms have access to a computer in 2011, up 1 percentage point from 2009. The proportion of U.S. farms owning or leasing a computer in 2011, at 63%, was up 2 percentage points from 2009. Farms using computers for their farm business remained virtually stable at 37% in 2011 compared to 36% in 2009.
In 2011, 84% of U.S. farms with sales and government payments of $250,000 or more have access to a computer, 83% own or lease a computer, 72% are using a computer for their farm business and 82% have Internet access. For farms with sales and government payments between $100,000 and $249,999, the figures are: 68% have access to a computer, 68% own or lease a computer, 52% are using a computer for their farm business and 67% have Internet access. Of the farms with sales and government payments between $10,000 and $99,999, 63% reported having computer access, 62% own or lease a computer, 41% use a computer for their farm business and 60% have Internet access.
For crop farms, 67% have computer access and 41% use a computer for their farm business in 2011, up 2 and 1 percentage points from 2009, respectively. Internet access for crop farms has increased to 64% in 2011, compared with 60% in 2009. In 2011, a total of 63% of livestock farms have computer access and 61% have Internet access.
