No signal, no opinion: the impact of connectivity issues on farming

During this year’s Oxford Farming Conference, amid discussions of resilience, trust and the future direction of policy, I asked a question that felt almost too basic for a sector debating genomics, satellite data and natural capital markets: who gets to speak for farming in the digital age? And what power does the internet hold in shaping farming’s narrative, both for the public and for farmers themselves?

In conversation with Robbie Moore MP, the shadow minister for the environment, food and rural affairs, I posed the same questions. Mr Moore told me that in terms of signal, “limited access to the internet restricts your ability to do anything”.

Mobile signal in rural communities has trailed behind those in urban backdrops, although this remains one of the quieter injustices of rural life. This is best identified by Ofcom’s Mobile Matters report, which outlines – and according to The Observer, underestimates – the gap between rural and urban signal quality. Among other things, Ofcom’s report specifies that the gigabit speeds commonplace in urban areas are near-impossible rurally, while The Observer’s analysis of the report stated that in some areas “mobile coverage is 1,000 times worse” in practice than initially specified.

Older farmers being left behind

Aside from the practical limitations of signal connectivity, the industry’s ageing population means that we need to further destigmatise the internet for that demographic in an inclusive way.

The average farmer is 61, and while age does not equate to ability, it does shape confidence and habitual practice. For many – just over half of farmers aged over 60 – the digital world feels like an unfamiliar space; 74% of farmers surveyed by marketing agency Hillsgreen last year still prioritised word of mouth over digital endorsement.

This lack of engagement is only worsened by poor connectivity, which in its unreliability diminishes the incentive to participate. A willingness to engage online cannot compensate for infrastructure gaps.

If posting a response to a consultation or joining a webinar requires hunting for signal in the corner of a yard, participation becomes conditional and precarious.

Over time, those voices drop out; farming is a precise and time-sensitive industry prone to exhaustion.

Much of farming’s contemporary debate now happens online. Policy consultations are hosted on government portals, industry discussions take place on social media, and public opinion is shaped by digital headlines. In theory, this democratises discussion, lowering barriers to entry and widening participation. In practice, it risks entrenching inequalities between those who can engage easily and those who cannot. Robbie Moore told me “we must create an environment for shared discussions” – a hollow aspiration if the environment is inaccessible to parts of the farming community.

Farming has become increasingly thrust into the public consciousness recently (in part due to the government’s inheritance tax policy), and this has brought farmers into politically divisive debate online. The industry now needs to both promote itself and effectively function within a sensationalised online sphere, where the challenge is not simply correcting falsehoods, but doing so at speed and with confidence. Misinformation thrives in the gaps between explanation and response, and the digital sphere rewards immediacy.

Challenging misleading narratives online

As discussed in Oxford, the impact of working 24/7 and lacking reliable access to the internet means that farmers may be unable to challenge misleading narratives in real time or consistently build an online platform, leaving the industry wondering whether it is being listened to or simply being talked about. Combating misinformation is not simply a matter of presenting factual arguments but gaining a large-scale platform to do so. As Jack Bobo reminded the conference, “trust precedes the science”. However, this trust is built through presence, dialogue and consistency, which rely on access and time.

These challenges and opportunities for getting the farming community online can at least be measured. Hillsgreen’s ‘Marketing to Farmers Report 2025-26’ identifies the fact that 78% of the farmers surveyed use social media on a regular basis while 12% do not use it at all. At the same time, online news is beginning to replace print media, with an uptick from 38% to 51% of farmers considering digital blogs, social media and online newspapers to be something they read daily and use to make buying decisions. Authentic online reviews of products appeal to farm businesses; videos and practical demonstrations accessible anywhere are grabbing their attention.

All this evidence suggests that farmers are drawn to online content that has two key characteristics: authenticity and the ability to tell a story.

While speaking with Andy Venables, CEO of Hillsgreen, it became apparent that authenticity resonates with both a familiar farming audience and the unknown public, particularly in relation to messaging surrounding a food system where consumers are increasingly distant from production. Again, Jack Bobo’s speech at OFC reinforced this idea: “people have never cared more and known less about where their food is coming from”.

For the industry to retain its selling power and for prices to be fair, consumers must buy into the storytelling of each product from farm to fork and this may be achieved by communicating the farm-to-fork process in an authentic way, which the universally open online sphere may well provide.

At the same time, a bridge needs to be found between this aspirational opportunity and the practical reality – starting to produce content may not initially pay the bills and may require a part-time commitment alongside the fullest of full-time jobs.

Resolving the existing issues

What became clear through my conversations with both Mr Moore and Mr Venables is that access to the internet is no longer a peripheral issue.

As policy-making, public engagement, and industry debate migrate online, accessibility and connectivity ultimately determine who is visible. Without meaningful investment in rural connectivity, digital skills and inclusive engagement strategies, the wide-scale move online risks deepening existing divides within the industry.

Farming risks losing out on opportunities to combat misinformation and shape an authentic narrative in a time when public perception of the industry is increasingly important. To fully shape its online narrative, the farming industry must first be able to log on.