USDA says DSL is the most common method of accessing the Internet on the farm in 2009, with 36% of U.S. farms using it, up from 27% in 2007. In 2007, dialup was the most common method of accessing the Internet. But dialup access dropped from 47% in 2007 to 23% in 2009. Satellite and wireless were each reported as the primary Internet access methods on 13% of those U.S. farms with Internet access. Cable was reported as the primary access method on 11% of the farms.
Internet access was used in 59% of U.S. farms, compared with 57% in 2007. Some 64% of farms have access to a computer in 2009, the same level as 2007. The proportion of U.S. farms owning or leasing a computer in 2009 is at 61%, up 1% from 2007. Farms using computers for their farm business increased 1% from 2007 to 36% in 2009.
In 2009, 81% of U.S. farms with sales and government payments of $250,000 or more have access to a computer, 79% own or lease a computer, 69% are using a computer for their farm business and 76% have Internet access. For farms with sales and government
payments between $100,000 and $249,999, the figures are: 70% have access to a computer, 67% own or lease a computer, 52% are using a computer for their farm business and 63% have Internet access.
Of the farms with sales and government payments between $10,000 and $99,999, 62% reported having computer access, 59% own or lease a computer, 38% use a computer for their farm business and 57% have Internet access.
For crop farms, 65% have computer access and 40% use a computer for their farm business in 2009, up 1-3% from 2007. Internet access for crop farms has increased to 60% in 2009, compared with 56% in 2007. In 2009, a total of 63% livestock farms have computer access and 58% have Internet access.