The business environment in the United States is changing rapidly as technology emerges and becomes more sophisticated. Businesses are recognizing that they must adopt new technologies to remain competitive and profitable. Two commonly used technologies are the computer and the Internet. Data available from the United States Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA NASS) suggests that farm business owners are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their use of these technologies. This section will illustrate some trends in the use of computers and the Internet by farm businesses in the U.S. As you can see, farm computer usage is steadily increasing.

Figure 1. Farm Computer Usage in the U.S.: 1997-2005

In 2005, 58 percent of farms had computer access and 51 percent of farms had Internet access. Even though more than half of U.S. farms had computer and Internet access, only 31 percent of farms used computers for farm business purposes. Thus, many already have Internet access yet aren't using it to manage their farm businesses. This suggests a significant opportunity for farmers to use existing resources to enhance their farm management.