Use of private consultants and other sources of information by large cornbelt farmers

Farmers attending the 1991 Top Farmer Crop Workshop were surveyed on their sources and costs of information. Respondents spent an average of $2,578 per year on information sources and rated their own farm records/budgets highest for usefulness in decisions. In contrast to earlier studies, these farmers gave less importance to salesmen and other farmers as sources of information, but gave greater importance to consultants. Use of consultants tended to be greater on larger, more diversified farms with more complex financial structure. Younger farmers and those using computers also tended to make use of consultants.