Exploring Social Media and Smartphone Use in Ontario Agriculture

Background:

With the wide variety of online and mobile communication

tools available these days, how can Ontario agricultural organizations and businesses decide the best ways to communicate with their clients or members? OMAFRA and the University of Guelph wondered the same thing, so this winter an online survey was designed and conducted. The team worked with Ipsos Reid to develop a survey on social media and smartphone use among those working and/or studying in agriculture in Ontario.

This is the first survey of its kind in the Ontario agricultural industry, and in the fast-changing communication and mobile landscape, it will serve as a baseline to pick out trends and help agri-businesses and organizations plan communication and technology strategies.

The survey was funded by the University of Guelph’s Knowledge Translation and Transfer Program.

For more information contact:Janice LeBoeufOMAFRA, Ridgetownjanice.leboeuf@ontario.ca519-674-1699

• No data was available on smartphone and social media use by those in the Ontario agricultural industry.

• The project team worked with Ipsos Reid on survey design, development, data collection, and analysis. The project team managed distribution and promotion of the survey. It was promoted through a number of provincial agricultural organizations, through a variety of OMAFRA distribution channels, through agricultural media, as well as social media and several rural organizations.

• Funded by the OMAFRA/University of Guelph Knowledge Translation and Transfer Funding Program http://www.uoguelph.ca/research/omafra/partnership/KTT_and_IP.shtml

• Project team: Janice LeBoeuf, Adrienne De Schutter, Kim DeKlein, Richard Hamilton, Terry Dupuis (OMAFRA); Cheryl Trueman (Ridgetown Campus - University of Guelph)

• The survey was open between February 6 and March 5, 2012.

• A total of 439 online surveys were completed.

• Respondents had to confirm that they work or study in the Ontario agricultural industry and are internet users in order to proceed to the rest of the survey.

• Agriculture students were included as a way to look a bit into the future, as they are the future producers, workforce, and leaders in the industry.

ResultsSome Highlights…

Internet use: 95% are online daily; more than four out of ten are online multiple times each day.

The survey was conducted online, so it focused on those who use the internet. Only 1% of respondents said they went online as infrequently as once or twice a week.

Purpose of Online Activity

6Q2. And about what percent of your time on the internet is spent

on the internet for …? Base: All respondents (n=439). Data based on MEAN responses. 

Half of agricultural professionals say that their time online is

for farm and agricultural 

related business. This is significantly higher among those 35‐54 (54%) and those 55+ (52%) 

than among 18‐34 year olds (44%).  On the flip side, more 18‐34 year olds (43%) are online 

for personal use compared with 33% of 35‐54 year olds and 32% among those 55+.

Personal Use55% agri‐students49% farmers’

employees

Agricultural Use59% Non‐farm agri‐

business employees or 

owners and ON Agri‐

business association 

members. 

Sources of information

• 79% say they usually find out about new agricultural information from paper-based publications such as newspapers and magazines.

• An equal number mention the internet as a usual information source.

• Nearly as many, 72%, say that meetings or conferences are a main source of new information.

Information Sources for New Farm Products, Programs or Information

8

Q3. First of all, from whom or from where do you usually find out about new farm products, 

farm programs, or information on agriculture‐related business?  Please select all that apply. Base: All respondents (n=439)

Four‐in‐five receive information about new farm information, products or

programs from 

paper based farm publications and online. 86% of Ontario Federation of Agriculture 

Members get information from paper based farm publications/magazines compared to 

other agricultural professionals. Not surprisingly, 86% of 18‐34 year old get information 

from the internet (in general) compared with 73% of those 55+. Seven‐in‐ten get 

information from meetings/conferences and via email. 

Significantly more 18‐34 year 

olds receive information from 

other farmers (67%) compared to 

35‐54 year old (45%) or those 

55+ (53%). 

Similarly, 90% of agri‐students 

get information from other 

farmers (significantly higher than 

other agri‐

occupations).

9Q4. Of all of these sources of information, which are you currently using more than you did a 

year ago? Select all that apply. Base: All respondents (n=439)

The majority of those in the agriculture sector are going online

for information on new farm 

products and services more than they were a year ago. Half of respondents said that they 

are using the internet more while three‐in‐ten are using email (29%) and online versions of 

farm publications (27%). 14% are watching webcasts

and online videos. 

(Change in Use) Information Sources for New Farm Products, Programs or Information

Looking ahead:

62% expect their internet use will increase over the next year and 37% expect it to stay about

the same. Only 1% expect their internet use to decrease over the coming year.

Smartphone use: 69% have a smartphone.

Only 62% have a desktop computer.

34% of adult Canadians own a smartphone (Ipsos Reid, January 2012). It was 24% in August 2011.

Computers, Smartphones and other Gadgets

11Q5. Which of the following devices do you currently own / use? Select all that apply.Base: All respondents (n=439)

Laptop computers are the most popular device among the agriculture sector (78%) followed 

by Smartphones

(69%) and desktop computers (62%).   

92% of 18‐34 year 

olds use laptop 

computers compared 

with 77% among 

those 35‐54 and 67% 

for those 55+

80% 18‐34 year olds, 

75% 35‐54 year olds 

use Smartphone while 

only 50%

55+ use 

them. 

Smartphone use:

In popularity, BlackBerry is first in Ontario agriculture (65% of smartphone users), followed by Apple (23%), then Android (8%).

To compare, recent surveys of Canadian smartphone users put BlackBerry at 33%, Apple at 28%, and Android at 31% (Ipsos Reid, 2012).

How Essential is your Smart phone?

13

Q18. Which of the following statements best describes your view on using your Smartphone / 

mobile device in your agriculture‐related role? Base: Currently own/use Smartphone/ Tablet 

Computer (n=314)

Nearly half (47%) of Smartphone and mobile device users said that their smart phone was 

essential to their job. 36% said that they rely on their Smartphone but they could do their 

job well with out it and 17% said they only occasionally use their Smartphone and it is not 

needed in their job. 

Overall Farmer / Producer

Employee of Farmer/producer

Non-farm agribusiness

employee/owner

Base size 314 183 (A) 29** (B) 92* (C)

My Smartphone is essential to my job 47% 46% D 35% 62% ADF

I rely on my Smartphone but I could do my job well without it.

36% 38% CE 38% 26%

I occasionally use my smart phone but it’s not really needed

17% 15% 28% 12%

14

Q18. Which of the following statements best describes your view on using your Smartphone / 

mobile device in your agriculture‐related role? Base: Currently own/use Smartphone/ Tablet 

Computer (n=314)

How Essential is your Smart phone?

*small base; **very 

small base.

A/B/C/D/E/F denotes significant difference at the 95% 

confidence interval. 

Most Useful Apps

15

Q11. Which of these applications do you find the most useful on your Smartphone/mobile 

device? Select up to three responses.Base: Currently own/use Smartphone/ Tablet Computer (n=312)

The vast majority (72%) say that in general their email application is the most useful 

application on their Smartphone or mobile device. This is followed at some length by text 

(36%), web browsers (33%), personal organization (28%) and weather apps (27%). 

Responses less than 3% are not 

included. 

Smartphone apps

There is an appetite for farming/agriculture applications.

74% of Smartphone users have downloaded at least one agriculture app (the average is 3.7 apps).

12% of those with Smartphones say not having proper apps is a big drawback for them.

Agricultural Apps

17

Q14. Which of the following types of agriculture‐related mobile apps do you currently have 

downloaded / installed on your Smartphone / mobile device? Please select all that apply.Base: Have downloaded / installed for agriculture‐related activities on their Smartphone / 

mobile device (n=231)

Weather apps are the most frequently downloaded agricultural‐related app among 

individuals in the industry. 81% said they downloaded weather based apps, this is followed 

some distance by crop commodity market apps (58%). 

18

Q15. Which of these applications do you find the most useful on your Smartphone / mobile 

device? Base: Currently have downloaded / installed for agriculture‐related activities on their 

Smartphone / mobile device (n=222)

Not surprisingly, over half (59%) of those who installed and agricultural app found the 

weather application to be the most useful on their mobile device. 28% said that the crop 

commodity market app was useful while 17% said no one application superseded another. 

Most Useful Agricultural Apps

Responses less than 3% are not 

included. 

Social media use:

84% have used social media in the past 12 months.

And 73% rated social media use as important or very important to them.

Use and Importance of Social Media

20Q19. Given this definition, in the past 12 months, have you visited or browsed an online social network website or 

online community such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube etc.?Base: All respondents (n=439). 

In the past year 84% of agricultural professionals have visited social networking sites.

OverallFarmer / Producer

Employee of Farmer/producer

Non-farm agribusines s employee/

owner

Agri student

Base size 439 260 (A) 46* (B) 112 (C) 50* (D)

Yes 84% 83% 89% 86% 100% ABCF

No 16% D 17% D 11% D 14% -

*small base; **very 

small base.A/B/C/D/E/F denotes significant difference at the 95% 

confidence interval. 

15.1 Million users in Canada visited social 

networking sites at least once a 

month in 2011 (up 11% since 

2009 – projected to reach 18.4 

million by 2014.

46%of Internet users worldwide 

interact with social media on 

a daily basis. 

Use and Importance of Social Media

21Q24. How would you rate the importance of social networking to you? Please select one response. Base: Have 

visited or browsed an online social network website in the past 12 months (n=367)

Overall Farmer / Producer

Employee of Farmer/producer

Non-farm agribusines

s employee/

owner

Agri student

Base size 367 215 (A) 41* (B) 96 (C) 50* (D)

Very Important 23% 21% 29% 26% 36% AF

Somewhat Important 50% 51% 54% 45% 52%

Somewhat Unimportant

22% 21% 15% 27% D 10%

Not at all important 5% 7% 2% 2% 2%

*small base; **very 

small base.A/B/C/D/E/F denotes significant difference at the 95% 

confidence interval. 

Social Media Use

22Q20. Which of the following online social networks or online communities do you a) currently participate in for 

personal use, and, b) currently participate in as part of your agriculture‐related role? Please check all that apply. 

Base: Have visited or browsed an online social network website in the past 12 months (n=367)

Among those visiting social media sites, the most popular site for agricultural‐related 

purposes is Twitter (47%) and YouTube (46%) followed at some distance by blogs (32%) and 

Ag specific social sites (31%). Only one‐quarter (25%) said that they use Facebook for 

agricultural related purposes.

Ag specific social network

Social Media Use – Which are used most often?

23

Q21. And which of the social media sites you named do you use most often for personal purposes? Please 

select one response. Base: Have mentioned Social Networks for personal use (n=333); Q22. And which of 

the social media sites you named do you use most often for agriculture‐

related purposes? Please select 

one response, Base: Have mentioned Social Networks for Agri‐business use (n=310); Q23. Which of the 

social media sites you named do you use on a Smartphone / mobile

device? Base: Currently have Smart 

phone and used Social Networks (n=266)

When industry professionals were asked to choose which site they

use most often among 

all the social networking sites they currently use for agricultural purposes, two‐in‐five (42%) 

said Twitter. In second place was YouTube with 17%. The top two sites for personal use 

were Facebook (64%) followed by YouTube (21%). Twitter (56%), Facebook (53%) and to a 

lesser extent YouTube (34%) are used most often on their Smartphones. 

Agricultural‐Related 

Use

Personal Use Smartphone Use

Agricultural Social Media Use

24

Q25. What are the main reasons for using social media in your agriculture‐related role?  Please 

select all that apply. Base: Have visited or browsed an online social network website in the past 12 months (n=367)

Seven‐in‐ten (68%) said that the main reason they use social media for their agricultural 

role is for the sharing and/or capturing knowledge and information. Half said professional 

networking reasons (49%) followed by marketing (38%), socializing (37%) and keeping in 

touch with colleagues and contacts (36%). 

Those who said social networking was very important

were more likely to say professional 

networking (64%), marketing (54%) and socializing (52%) were their main reasons for using 

social media in their agri‐role. 

Individuals 18‐34 (73%) and those 

35‐54 (71%) were more likely to 

use social media of the main 

reason of sharing information than 

those 55+ (58%). 

Those 18‐34 (54%), employees 

of farmers/producers (61%) and 

agri‐students (58%) are more 

likely to use social media to 

socialize with colleagues. 

Social Media As Part of Government Communication Strategy

25

Q27. And do you agree with the following statement: governments (including agricultural 

extension / specialists / field staff) should use social networking tools as part of their 

communications strategy? Base: Have visited or browsed an online

social network website in the 

past 12 months (n=367)

There is overwhelming agreement (89%) that the government –

including the agricultural 

sector – should use social networking tools as part of their communication strategy. 

Significantly more non‐farm agribusiness professionals (95%) agree with this 

communication idea compared to other agricultural professionals.

Agree: 89%

Disagree: 11%

Demographic Information on Survey Respondents

26

Age

18-34 27%

35-54 44%

55+ 29%

Highest Level of Education

Less than high school

2%

Complete high school

8%

Some or completed technical school or college

34%

Some or completed university

56%

Profession *(could choose more

than one)

Farmer / producer 59%

Non-farm agribusiness employee / owner

26%

Public servant working in agriculture

14%

Agriculture student 11%

Employed by a farmer / producer

11%

Retired from a position in agriculture

2%

Other 9%

27

With these results, the aim is that OMAFRA, researchers, ag organizations, and agri-business will have relevant data to help them better target effort and investment in platforms and information channels that are most widely used by their clients or stakeholders.

The results can help to provide a basis for decisions on allocating resources for:

• designing effective communication strategies using newer communication channels;

• designing applications (“apps”) that are platform specific; and,

• planning technology transfer programs that include new communication technologies.

Next steps

• Continue to share results:– Available to do presentations/workshops with

groups – can be specialized topic or general

– Can also provide slides and materials to groups for their own discussions, use

– Raw data available upon request

• Those in the Ontario agricultural industry can use the data to support and guide initiatives and investments (communications, resources, technology transfer)

• Follow-up on ideas, initiatives, collaborations that are emerging as the results are shared and discussed

• Hope to repeat survey in a year or two to measure change and update the results

Thanks to

• OMAFRA/University of Guelph Knowledge Translation and Transfer funding program

• All who helped promote the survey