My next panel at SXSW was How Farmers Get Serious Business Done With Mobile

The premise: although conventional wisdom might hold that farmers aren’t the most digital-savvy, in fact they are more wired in than one would expect. However, they aren’t sitting at a desk on a desktop computer. Rather, they are increasingly dependent on wireless technology — often sitting in a combine as it drives itself.

Panelists included experts from John Deere, Agriculture.com, Successful Farming and a young farmer who created a company that creates mobile apps for farmers.

The folks from Agriculture.com did some research into what mobile technology farmers are buying:

  • 97 percent of farmers own a mobile phone
  • 43 percent own a smart phone

As for smartphone breakdown, most popular platforms are Blackberry, Android, iPhone and Windows Mobile in that order. This may be in part because AT&T isn’t always available in rural areas, because Blackberries come free with many data plans and because they are more durable than touch screen smart phones.

Although the general consumer may prioritize phone usage for calling, text, and pictures in that order. But for farmers, the first is calling but second is to retrive ag-related info. Mobile is a pure business tool for farmers.

As far as behavior, the data shows: 69 percent use text messaging, 59 percent take pictures and 47 percent do picture messaging.

But they aren’t necessarily sending pictures of their kids or entertainment like a typical consumer. They are photographing crops and equipment. They are tracking commodity markets that are influenced by world events (e.g., Eqypt) and making grain trades while in the field. They are monitoring weather and using remote control technology to monitor aspects of the farm (aspects that used to be carried out by a field staff).

Farming tech has reached the point where a farmer will only touch his steering wheel when he has reached the end of the field and has to turn. With that technology conquered, companies are now moving beyond guidance and soil prescription technologies into data management and mobile integration.

Tablet ownership and usage are also an emerging trend for farmers. John Deere is using tablets in their dealerships, and farmers are starting to see the benefit of tablet technology.

One panelist thinks the industry may move toward an open source mentality that will allow organizations and farmers to build upon one another. This trend could specifically have an impact abroad.

My takeaway is that the ag industry is both a laggard and an innovator when it comes to tech. The manufacturers are building bleeding edge thinking into their products. The farmers, although initially dragged into the world of computers and mobile, are now quick adopters of technology that provides consistent value and ROI for their business. I’ll be keeping an eye on this industry for parallels for my own clients.