Eight Farm Security Solutions To Keep Your Farm Secure

Farming has become even more popular in the last few years, and rural crime is becoming a huge issue for many farmers. Back in 2020, it was reported by Ourwatch that at least £2.3 million worth of livestock and millions of pounds worth of machinery were stolen. With an increase in rural crimes, how are farmers expected to protect their livestock and machinery? In today’s article we will be providing our best farm security solutions that we recommend will help to improve the security of a farm.

1. What Is Farm Security?
2. What Crimes Affect Farms?
3. How To Keep A Farm Secure?

What Is Farm Security?

Farm security is simply the different security measures that farmers will use to ensure the protection of their business. These farm security measures could be anything from employing security guards to do regular patrols of a farm to installing CCTV monitoring equipment across different areas of your property.

What Crime Affects Farms?

Farms will often employ farm security solutions due to the variety of crimes that threaten the safety of a farm. Below, we have listed the most popular farm crimes.

Livestock Theft

One of the biggest crimes that affect farmers is the theft of livestock. Farm livestock is simply the different animals that a farmer will have; these animals could be sheep, cattle, pigs, or chickens. One reason why farm animals might be stolen by criminals is so that thieves can sell them to other businesses. According to Ourwatch, it was reported that has been an increase in livestock theft by 11% within the last few years.

Machinery Theft

Livestock isn’t the only thing that is stolen from farms, machinery equipment like tractors are also commonly stolen. Criminals will steal farming equipment to sell to other businesses. Some of the most common vehicles stolen from a farm are tractors, land rover defenders, and quad bikes. According to Ourwatch, it was reported that machinery theft has cost the farming industry nearly £40 million.

Arson

As farms are often in remote locations, this can cause them to become a huge target for arson crimes. Serious incidents of arson can cause farms to lose their livestock and machinery. And extreme cases of arson can cause a farm to be put out of business for good. According to NFU Mutual, in 2021 the cost of farm fires that were committed overall totalled to £95.6 million.

Fly-Tipping

Fly-tipping crimes are also a big worry for farmers. Fly-tipping is when waste is illegally dumped on roadsides, in farmlands, and in other open lands. And fly-tipping is extremely dangerous as the illegal waste can be dangerous to the health of humans, animals, and to any wildlife on a farm. Statistics show that in 2022, there were 1.09 million incidents of fly-tipping in England reported.

Dog Attacks On Livestock

Dogs attacking farm livestock is another big concern for many farmers. Dog attacks typically happen when dogs have been let off their leads near farming areas. If a dog does chase or attack a farm animal, this can cause farm animals to become stressed, injured or even killed. According to NFU, in 2022 incidents of dog attacks on livestock cost the farming industry in the Midlands almost £313,000.

How To Keep A Farm Secure?

Due to all the different types of crimes that farms experience, it is important for all farm business owners to employ good security measures and follow farm security tips to ensure the protection of their farms. Below, we have listed and explained our best farm security solutions tips.

1. Hiring Security Guards

Our first farm security solution is employing security officers on your farm. Security guards have been known to provide businesses with a strong security presence and this presence can instantly showcase to criminals that business is well protected. Farm security guards can also protect a farm by doing regular routine patrols around the farmland and by using CCTV equipment to monitor different areas on your property.

2. Installing Farm Security CCTV

Another good farm security tip is installing CCTV cameras. Security cameras have been known to act as a visual deterrent against thieves. And cameras can also be effective in reviewing and monitoring blind spots on a farm that a guard might not be able to patrol. Furthermore, farm CCTV security cameras can also provide farmers with evidence; for example, if an incident of crime is committed, farmers can use a camera’s recorded footage as evidence within a court of law.

Security cameras should be placed in areas on a farm which is the most vulnerable such as:

• At the front of buildings.
• Near farm gates.
• Near your livestock.
• Near any entrances or exits on your farm.

 3. Buy Security Locks For Farm Gates

One of the most common ways that thieves are able to break into farms is through farm gates. So, it is important that all farm gates are well protected. One of the best ways to protect farm gates is by buying security locks for them. Security padlocks add an additional layer of protection to a farmer’s gate, and they can make it harder for thieves to break in.

Another way to protect padlocks on farm gates is by covering them up as this can stop them from being cut through. When you are considering which security locks to buy for farm gates, it is important that you choose locks which are quite strong and that are made out of a good material.

4. Installing Farm Security Lights

Another way that farmers can employ additional security on their property is by installing farm security lights. Security lights can often act as a visual deterrent against thieves and will often provide farmers will an extra layer of protection. Security lights will be used by farmers to give the impression to burglars that there is someone present at the farm.

5. Installing Farm Security Alarms

Farm security systems and alarms are another good security measure that farmers can use. Security alarms can act as a visual deterrent against thieves, and they can often scare criminals away through the loud noise that they sound when they are triggered.

6. Conduct Risk Assessments On Your Farms

It is important that farmers make sure that know which areas on their farms are the most vulnerable. One way that farms will be able to do this is by conducting regular risk assessments. Security risk assessments allow business owners to review what the security is like in the different areas on their property and it also allows them to brainstorm which areas may need more security in place.

Farmers can use security risk assessments to get a better understanding of the different security measures they already have and to help them consider any additional security measures they may need.

7. Brand Your Machinery With Unique Serial Numbers

One way that farmers can protect their farm machinery, is by branding their equipment with unique serial numbers. Although this won’t completely stop machinery theft, it has been known that thieves are less likely to steal equipment that has noticeable serial numbers on them.

Branding equipment can also be helpful if it does end up getting stolen, as the unique serial numbers can be used to help the police identify stolen equipment.

8. Employ Good Access Control On Your Site

Finally, our last tip for improving security on your farm is to make sure that your farm has good access control. Installing good access control around key areas on your farm, such as the main entrances, can increase security on your farm as it can stop criminals from striking at your business.

So that’s our top eight farm security solutions, did you find these tips helpful? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below! And if you’re interested in staying up to date with all the latest safety tips and guides, check out our blog where you can find articles about why you should outsource your security, and how to deter burglars.