Farmers Increasingly Focused on Technology, Diversity, Sustainability: Poll

An RBC Agriculture poll has found the face of Canadian agriculture is rapidly changing, with farmers today increasingly focused on driving sustainability, diversity and technological adoption.

Released Wednesday, the RBC Agriculture Poll surveyed agriculture owners and operators from across the country between Dec. 10 and Jan. 6.

The survey showed an overwhelming majority (91%) of Canadian farmers are already regularly using technology and data insights to guide their decision-making, with a large number intending to further accelerate on-farm technological adoption. Over the next 12 months, about half anticipate introducing new technology to their operations to support functions like data management (55%), digital field, crop, and inventory management (51%), financial planning and cash flow management (47%), and automation (45%).

In addition to an increasing focus on digital adoption, survey findings indicate an agriculture industry that is making strides to become more sustainable and diverse.

Of the producers polled, 96% report that they are actively working to make their operations more sustainable. The industry is also moving the needle on diverse leadership, with six in ten (61%) of those surveyed reporting female leadership on their farm. Another seven in ten (71%) said that they're making progress around recruiting and promoting a more diverse workforce.

Meanwhile, about two-thirds (64%) of Canadian farmers reported being “cautiously” optimistic about the future and have set a handful priorities for the year ahead to help realize that promise.

Those surveyed overwhelmingly agreed that owners and operators will look to:

Cultivate a strong agricultural network to tap into for advice (85%)
Recruit skilled workers (81%)
Build up the farm's leadership team (77%)
Invest in technology and data-driven decisions (77%)
Focus on risk management planning (73%)

"Having demonstrated their ability to weather significant and often unpredictable disruptions over the past two years, Canadian producers are now turning to the future with an outlook of cautious optimism," said Ryan Riese, National Director of Agriculture, RBC. "From risk management and resiliency, to leadership and technological innovation, farmers are increasingly shifting their focus and investments on proactive priorities to strengthen their operations and cultivate growth – not only for the year ahead but for the long-term future of the agriculture sector."