November 1997
TECH TALK
by Kris Versdahl (krisver@means.net)
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Prairie Grains is the
official publication of
the Minnesota
Association of
Wheat Growers,
North Dakota Grain
Growers Association,
South Dakota Wheat,
Inc., and the
Minnesota Barley
Growers Association.
Computer Statistics Snips & Christmas Buying Tips
How many U.S. farms use computers in their business operations, and how many have internet access?
The USDA's National Ag Statistics Service conducts a nationwide survey every June to provide estimates of crop acres planted, grain in storage, livestock inventories, and land values. This year, questions were added to the survey form that asked the operator about access and use of computers.
Survey results indicated that 31% of U.S. farms own or lease computers, and 20% use a computer for their farm business. Further, 13% of U.S. farms have internet access, ranging from a low of 4% in Louisiana and Mississippi to 31% in New Jersey.
Here's a look at the stats in Northern Plains States:
Minnesota: Of 87,000 farms, 43% have computer access, 32% own or lease computers, 22% use computers for farm business, 11% have internet access.
North Dakota: Of 30,500 farms, 44% have computer access, 34% own or lease computers, 28% use computers for farm business, 11% have internet access.
South Dakota: Of 32,500 farms, 43% have computer access, 30% own or lease computers, 24% use computers for farm business, and 13% have internet access.
Computer use and internet access was slightly higher on crop farms than livestock farms in the North Central U.S. (IL, IN, IA, KS, MI, MN, MO, NE, ND, OH, SD, WI). Computer and internet use on farm operations in the North Central U.S. with sales $100,000 and over was significantly higher than that of farms in the $10,000-$99,999 category or $1,000-$9,999. For example, 45% of the large farms in the North Central U.S. use computers for farm business, compared with 18% of mid-sized farms and 11% of small farms.
You can bet your CPU that the use of computers and internet access on the farm will continue to advance, like computer technology itself. More farms will likely become wired this Christmas. Here's some tips to keep in mind in your holiday hardware shopping:
Buy the system that meets your needs -- in general, a minimum configuration is a Pentium-based machine with at least 16 megabytes of memory (RAM).
If mail-ordering your system, get a quoted shipping date to assure on-time arrival. The best advice is to order early to avoid shipping bottlenecks.
Check out the warranty. Most mail order houses now offer a 3-year warranty on parts and labor. In most cases, if there's a problem with your equipment, they will simply send you a replacement part, and you must install it yourself. If the thought of opening up a computer case makes you break out in a cold sweat, you might want to consider purchasing your computer at a store that offers on-site service.
Look for a 30-day, no-questions-asked return policy. Watch out for companies that charge restocking fees (a fine for returning merchandise) even if you do so during the money-back period.
In most cases, a credit card is the safest way to make your computer purchase; and it provides a third party should a dispute arise. But, around the Holidays, many computer stores offer special "x"-months no interest, no payment programs. Why not use their money if you can?