Welsh farmers remain 'second class citizens' when it comes to accessing broadband and mobile coverage, with nearly half saying they don't receive sufficient speeds.
In a survey, conducted by the NFU Cymru in October 2018, 46% of those questioned didn’t believe they received sufficient broadband for the needs of their business.
Findings show that 50% of respondents had download speeds of 2Mbps or lower, while 37% didn’t believe they received sufficient mobile signal for the needs of the business.
It follows a statement issued by Superfast Cymru which highlighted how Wales now enjoys over 95% broadband access coverage to homes and businesses.
And while the average download speed in Wales is 33.4Mbps, NFU Cymru said it is 'unacceptable' that farmers remain 'second class citizens' when it comes to accessing sufficient broadband.
The survey also shows that only 16% of respondents reported that they had reliable mobile signal in all outdoor locations when on farm, with 9% saying they have no reliable locations for mobile signal when outdoors.
With farmers often working long hours alone in isolated locations, NFU Cymru said it is 'vital' that farmers have access to reliable mobile coverage to call for help.
NFU Cymru President, John Davies said: “In this digital age, where technology is moving so quickly, I find it extremely frustrating to hear of members who still fail to open an email or receive a phone call due to poor broadband or mobile coverage on farm. This is absolutely unacceptable and is holding farmers back from maximising business opportunities.
“Welsh Government continues to push the need for Welsh farmers to become more resilient - especially ahead of Brexit - and this is exactly what the industry is striving for, but broadband and mobile coverage is holding us back.
“With the industry facing so much uncertainty, it is clear that farmers need as many tools as possible to maintain business resilience, and having access to digital connectivity is paramount if they are to compete with our international neighbours in the global market,” he said.
With digital technology now playing a central role in people’s lives, farmers are increasingly finding that it is necessary to be proactive in addressing the problem of slow connections.
Some farmers are seizing the initiative by investing in their own private high-speed networks.
