Factors Influencing the Intention to Adopt Precision Agriculture Technology Among Agronomist Firms in Saskatchewan

Abstract Precision agricultural technologies relating to soil quality and land management may be useful tools to improve the level of agricultural productivity and profitability. Agronomists often help producers become aware of and integrate new technologies that can improve performance. However, the rate of adoption of technology among agronomists varies and can be shaped by a wide array of influencing determinants. Predictive Soil Mapping Systems (PSMS) are web-based platforms that generates high-resolution predictive soil characteristics maps for users. PSMS help users make informed decisions and use the right amount and type of inputs in the right place and right time. Using a survey of agronomist firms in Saskatchewan, I examined factors relating to the intention to adopt PSMS. I focused on strategy-oriented factors at the firm level (e.g., market orientation, cannibalization, innovativeness, and performance), and used Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) for analyzing my conceptual model based on the theoretical framework of the TOE (Technology-Organization-Environment) model. Results show the firm's subjective perception of past performance relative to others in the industry has a significant positive relationship with intention to adopt the PSMS technology and other strategic factors of the company are insignifican