Survey: More farmers turning to cell phones

GARDINER – Logan Johnston joined the wireless age two months ago when he bought his first cell phone. Now, he tucks the phone into his shirt pocket whenever he climbs into the cab of his combine to head out to his farm fields for a day of work.

Nationwide, a recent survey by Successful Farming magazine showed that more than 75 percent of U.S. farmers have cell phones. That’s 10 percent higher than the population as a whole.

Johnston, 52, said farmers are drawn to cell phones because they can save time and are important to have in case of an emergency out in the fields. Johnston has 100 acres of organic barley, oats and hay.

“Anytime you’re away from the farmyard and dealing with heavy equipment, it’s nice to have the ability to call for help,” he said. “If my equipment breaks down when I’m out in the field and I need to get a part or a tool, rather than come all the way back to the barn, it’s nice to be able to contact someone.”

Rural farming communities historically have been plagued with spotty cell phone coverage. But coverage has improved as more cell towers have been erected, said James Holmes, sales director for U.S. Cellular in New England.

“Farmers used to purchase cell phones primarily for emergencies,” Holmes said. “That’s changed now that minutes are less expensive and data services have become available. Today most of the calls our farming customers make are to get a ride back to the farm after dropping off their tractor in the field.”

Farmers also are using cell phones to conduct business while they’re in the fields, Holmes added.

“There are plenty of phone calls and plenty of paperwork to take care of when you’re running a farm,” he said. “Our customers love the fact that they can forward calls directly to their cell phone, so they can handle more work from the field rather than be bombarded once they get back to their offices.”