Farmers embrace AI more than any other tech, McKinsey says

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Photo by Britton Ledingham/PostmediaArtificial intelligence use is surging on farms as growers look for some high-tech help in planning and managing operations after years of scaling back on spending, according to McKinsey & Co.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLYSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman, and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESCreate an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountSome 17 per cent of the world’s farmers now use generative AI in farm-related tasks, making it one of the fastest-growing technologies in agriculture, McKinsey said in its Global Farmer Insights 2026 report, published Tuesday.The AI adoption follows a multiyear farm slump that crimped spending amid rising costs for agricultural inputs. Costs for labour, land, equipment, financing and fertilizer have remained elevated and volatile since farmer profitability last peaked in 2021-22, according to David Fiocco, senior partner at McKinsey.Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again“These forces — combined with local policy uncertainty, increasingly unpredictable weather and labor shortages — are making farm-level decisions harder and riskier,” Fiocco said in the report.Farmers, especially in the Americas, are quickly adopting AI to assist in day-to-day decisions. “It has dramatically changed the way growers are able to rapidly get agronomic advice,” Fiocco said. A computer displays incoming data from seven autonomous milking robots at a farm in Point Reyes Station, California that uses an AI system to evaluate and milk cows.The AI uptick comes as other technologies lag, with robotics, electric-powered machines and sustainability software each having minimal penetration on the farm.McKinsey’s findings come amid growing hopes of an industry turnaround. After years of squeezed margins, global farming is showing its strongest recovery signals in years. A recent rise in commodity prices, shifting trade flows and a pickup in equipment orders are fuelling cautious but growing optimism that the industry’s prolonged downturn may finally be turning a corner.The report is based on results of McKinsey’s Global Farmer Insights survey, which gathered responses from 5,500 farmers across 10 countries between April and July.The biennial survey also showed that relatively higher costs contributed to a 24-percentage-point decline in spending intent for this year, with more than a third of growers identifying fertilizer as the first area to cut back in times of poor profits.Biological crop inputs are a bright spot. “More than half of specialty crop farmers now use at least one biological,” McKinsey said of chemical alternatives used to protect or boost growth in crops.We apologize, but this video has failed to load.This advertisement has not loaded yet.Notice for the Postmedia NetworkThis website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. 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