THE IMPACT OF BROADBAND ON AGRICULTURAL JOB POSTINGS IN THE U.S.

This study examines how different metrics of broadband influence the volume of
agricultural job postings throughout counties in the lower 48 states of the U.S. over the period
2021 – 2022. I derive a conceptual model of labor demand that shows the effects of broadband on
agricultural job postings may be uncertain due to wage effects that may attenuate increases in
demand stemming from greater labor productivity. I measure the effect of broadband speed on
agricultural job postings using panel data regression methods. Agricultural job count data from
each county was collected from the Google Jobs SerpAPI. Metrics of broadband speed, including
average download speeds, average upload speeds, and average latency, come from the Purdue
Center of Regional Development’s Ookla database. Macroeconomic data come from the Bureau
of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the U.S. Census Bureau, and farm production data come from the
United States Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA NASS)
Poultry – Production and Value Summary & Crop Values Summary. I find that broadband has
ambiguous effects on the volume of agricultural job postings. We find that upload speeds increase
job postings, but mixed evidence that download speeds or latency speeds affect anything. This
study adds value to the existing literature by offering an updated analysis of the relationship
between broadband expansion, economic growth, and agricultural jobs.