New report shows more tech adoption and online marketing by farmers
Bushel’s 2026 State of the Farm report reveals important changes in North American agriculture. With responses from over 1,400 farmers in the U.S. and Canada, the study highlights a shift toward younger, tech-savvy farm operators and increased use of digital tools.
Farmers under 50 now represent 38.4% of respondents, up from 28.8% last year. This demographic brings a focus on mobile-first operations and efficiency, shaping the future of farming.
AI adoption is still early but growing. About 14% of farmers currently use AI tools. Larger farms mainly use AI for business and financial analysis (50%), while only 25% use it for yield prediction or agronomy. This shows that AI is first applied in office and management tasks rather than in-field operations.
Digital grain marketing is also rising. The number of farmers using digital tools for marketing increased from 21% in 2024 to over 31% in 2026. Today, 56% of farmers use apps or software to market grain. Among farmers under 50, over half are likely to submit offers or sell grain digitally, even if the option isn’t fully available.
Financial pressure is reflected in higher use of loans. Equipment financing rose to 39.1%, operating loans to 38.9%, and real estate loans to 31.2%. Farmers relying on ag retailer financing value digital tools when choosing lenders.
Payment methods remain a challenge. Many younger farmers still receive paper checks (82.8%) but prefer digital payments (54.9%), showing a significant gap in expectations.
Overall, the report shows younger farmers are driving digital adoption, improving farm efficiency, and modernizing financial and marketing practices.
Photo Credit: istock-dusanpetkovic