OPINION – Owen Williams, Hub Manager, Agtech and Logistics Hub

From the fleecing of sheep to LandCruiser larceny, farm theft is rife across the country and a real burden on growers and producers.

It’s a growing, yet age-old problem that has farmers flocking to new technologies that can outsmart criminals.

Ear tags with satellite GPS trackers, sensor cameras that can detect trespassers scaling a farm fence and drones that monitor fence lines are just some of the agtech being deployed to stop crims in their tracks.

It’s great to see these innovations in farm security given the detrimental impact theft is having on farming families.

During my recent visits to rural Queensland and NSW, I spoke to many growers who said they had become more concerned about farm theft in recent years. They talked about suffering substantial financial losses, disruption of operations and their families feeling vulnerable.

Earlier this year, I read about 700 sheep worth an estimated $140,000 being stolen from a farm in northern Victoria.

At the time, those news reports included the shocking statistic that 70 to 80 per cent of farmers had experienced some kind of on-farm crime.

More recently, there has been a spike in the theft of LandCruisers in southwest Queensland. Even when insurance pays out, farmers are finding it hard to get a new vehicle or are paying more due to shortages, leaving them in a hard spot.

Fortunately, substantial efforts are being made to combat this problem through increased security measures, law enforcement agencies and farmers, with agtech playing a major role.

At the Agtech and Logistics Hub, we see how agtech can provide connected surveillance systems and tracking devices that send security alerts in real time to both farmers and police.

These technologies are equipped with advanced features such as motion sensors, night vision, and remote access capabilities, allowing farmers to keep a constant watch over their farmland.

We are proud to work with innovators in this space, including Land Watch, a company providing solar security cameras that supply 24/7 live footage and clear night vision of farms. Their camera systems deter would-be thieves, enable farmers to keep an eye on their cars, homes and stock remotely via their mobile phones and, in the worst-case scenario, provide footage for police investigations.

Other innovators have utilised GPS technology to produce tracking devices to safeguard agricultural equipment and livestock. These devices can be installed on tractors, vehicles, and on animals as ear tags

or collars, enabling farmers to be alerted if these assets move outside of a designated area. They also allow police to track the movement of these assets and quickly locate them.

We are also seeing sensor-based technologies being used on-farm to detect unusual activities or breaches in perimeter fences or fuel tanks, triggering immediate alerts to farmers. Security is also now leveraging data analytics and machine learning algorithms to analyse patterns and identify potential risks, helping farmers make informed decisions about security measures. By integrating these technological advancements, the agriculture industry is striving to create a safer and more secure environment for farmers, safeguarding their livelihoods and communities.

If you are looking to protect your farm and family from the rising challenge of farm theft, reach out to the team at the Hub. We work with many innovative startups and scaleups dedicated to farm security solutions, so we are across the latest solutions that will help you prevent the problem of theft cropping up on your property.

This piece was originally published in the August edition of Queensland Farmer Today