2026 State of the Farm Report Examines Early AI Use and Broader Digital Trends in Agriculture

Bushel, a leading independent provider of software technology for the agricultural supply chain, released its 2026 State of the Farm report. The annual study, which had responses from more than 1,400 farmers across the United States and Canada, reveals a significant demographic shift and an accelerating appetite for digital-first financial and marketing tools.

For the first time in the report’s history, farmers under the age of 50 represent nearly 38.4% of the respondent pool, a sharp increase from 28.8% just one year ago. This younger demographic is bringing a new level of technological maturity to the farm, with a strong focus on efficiency and mobile-first operations.

Key themes from the 2026 State of the Farm report

• AI starts in the office, not the field
  • For the first time, Bushel asked farmers about AI. Fourteen percent said they are using AI tools on their farm today.
  • Among larger farms using AI, 50% said they use it for business or financial analysis.
  • Only 25% said they use AI for yield prediction or agronomy, showing early adoption centers more on business management than in-field advice.
• Grain marketing keeps moving online
  • Digital tools for grain marketing rose from 21% in 2024 to more than 31% in 2026.
  • Today, 56% of farmers said they use an app or software for grain marketing.
  • Among farmers under 50, 54% said they are somewhat or very likely to use an app or website to submit a firm offer or sell grain, even though many still do not have that option today.
• Financial pressure shows up in greater use of financing
  • Bushel found sharp year-over-year increases in the use of financial products, likely reflecting tighter margins and higher capital needs.
  • Equipment financing rose to 39.1% in 2026 from 28.0% in 2025; operating loans rose to 38.9% from 29.6%; and real estate loans rose to 31.2% from 21.6%.
  • Farmers who use ag retailer financing are more than three times as likely to say digital tools matter most when choosing lenders compared to farmers who use traditional or other financing sources.
• Payment expectations and payment reality are still far apart
  • Farmers under 50 showed the biggest disconnect in how they get paid for grain versus how they want to get paid.
  • While 82.8% said they are currently paid by paper check, only 54.9% said paper check is their preferred payment method.
  • That 27.9-point gap was the largest of any demographic in the report.

For more information or to download the full report, visit bushelpowered.com/state-of-the-farm.

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