Based on panel data from 30 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities in China from 2012 to 2021, this study conducted a quantitative analysis of the high-quality development of agriculture amidst the wave of the digital economy. The research revealed that the digital economy plays a significant role in promoting the high-quality development of agriculture. It not only directly enhances the high-quality development of agriculture in various provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities but also indirectly provides a material foundation for such development by elevating the level of agricultural talent cultivation. However, the impact of the digital economy on the high-quality development of agriculture exhibits regional heterogeneity, with notable effects in the northern region and less significant impacts in the southern region. Consequently, this study’s analysis points out that strengthening strategies to empower agriculture with the digital economy, optimizing talent attraction and cultivation mechanisms, and enhancing differentiated policy support are crucial strategies for promoting the high-quality development of agriculture.