Protect yourself against farm crime
By Laura Thomas
Australian olive producers are being urged to take extra steps to protect their property, as farm theft escalates across the country.
From fuel and agricultural equipment, to livestock and firearms, the farming sector is facing an ongoing and costly threat.
And its impacts are being felt industry wide, both financially and psychologically.
Latest farm crime figures show a large percentage of farmers have been victims of farm crime. Theft, trespass and hunting are among the most common rural crimes, but while incidents are increasing across the board, they’re being reported less.
In recent weeks, reports of diesel theft have risen in parts of the country, as ongoing conflict in the Middle East continues to impact oil prices, farm input costs and the cost of living.
Authorities are urging farmers to stay vigilant by securing their on-farm fuel bowers, installing security lighting and camera surveillance, and maintaining detailed records of all fuel usage.
Maintaining perimeter fencing, locking gates and removing keys from machinery are other simple but effective ways to keep thieves at bay.
Check out Crime Stoppers Victoria’s comprehensive Farm Security Checklist to keep your farming property protected.
Understanding on-farm monitoring technology
Many farmers are looking at ways to keep a better eye on their property and operations.
However, the challenge is knowing what technology is worth investing in — and what will actually work for your individual application.
NSW DPI’s Agtech Fundamentals Workshops are designed to help farmers better understand their requirements, with practical, hands-on sessions designed to help:
- Map out your farm and identify risk areas
- Understand what connectivity you have (and what you might need)
- See what Agtech tools are available for security and monitoring
- Feel more confident choosing and investing in the right solutions
More than 1,300 farmers have already done the training and are using Agtech to improve how they monitor their farms.
Learn more about farm crime in Australia
The 2023 Australian Farm Crime Survey was conducted by the University of New England’s (UNE) Centre for Rural Criminology and is the first national study in over 20 years.
Key findings were released late last year, revealing that farm crime is a, pervasive, rising, and costly problem which often goes underreported.
Learn more, via the Good People to Know, Rural crime – the silent epidemic podcast.
Sources:
UNE Centre for Rural Criminology
www.wfi.com.au
www.agtech.dpi.nsw.gov.au/
Image: Unsplash