WIEK I WYKSZTAŁCENIE ROLNIKÓW ORAZ ICH ŹRÓDŁA INFORMACJI O INNOWACJACH W ROLNICTWIE

The paper focuses on choices made by farm operators regarding sources of information on innovations in agriculture vis-à-vis their age and level of education. The data collected in a survey of 54 commercial farms in the regions of Mazowsze and Podlasie in 2016 provided the empirical material for the study. Farms were surveyed and opinions of farmers were sought by means of the query method that used an interview questionnaire. It appears from the study that farm operators with secondary education accounted for the highest number of surveyed farmers followed by a substantial number of those with higher education. On average, the persons with higher education were also the youngest whereas those with lower-secondary education were the oldest and with the longest record of farm work. Farm operators most frequently sought information on innovations with Agricultural Advisory Center counselors and, to a large extent, they made use of agricultural journals, internet and training meetings and courses. The web was the major source of information on innovations for the farmers that combined a mobile age (25-44 years) with a higher level of education.