Health and Safety for Landbased Industries Session 6

This resource is suitable to support Level 2 Agriculture courses.

Farm Security

Aims of the session

At the end of this session, you will be able to:

• Explain the issues around farm security
• Give examples of security issues
• Describe ways farmers can avoid thefts
• Explain the importance of a Farm Watch scheme

Introduction to farm security

Farm security has become more important than ever in recent years.According to one farming Union rural theft cost the UK an estimated £43.3m in 2020.

Farm premises can be easy targets for unauthorised access and theft due to their remoteness, lack of staff and lack of security measures.

Highly organized crime gangs target farms stealing high-value farming Global Positioning Systems, quad bikes and tractors.Livestock thefts have also reached.

What are the farm security issues?

Farm Security issues include:

• Unauthorised access
• Trespass
• Squatting
• Theft of livestock and machinery/plant.

What can a farmer do to avoid unauthorised access to Farm yards and Buildings

1. Signs to state that security measures or guard dogs are in use are an effective deterrent regardless of whether or not they are used. Thieves tend to move on to find premises, which are ‘easier pickings’.

Locking of farm gates

2. Secure locking of farm gates at the roadside whenever premises are left unattended will prevent access.

However access has to be made for other services such as the milk tanker and postman.

Note on post boxes

Do not leave mail unsecured in post-boxes for any length of time or fraudulent use of bank accounts and credit cards could result.

Closed circuit television

3. Closed circuit television cameras can be bought relatively cheaply nowadays to monitor entrances and can even be set to interrupt television programmes being viewed to disclose someone who stops at the farm entrance.

Light and intruder alarms

4. Thieves do not like well lit areas so the use of flood lights with infra red detectors or time switches will act as a deterrent and allow visitors to see and be seen.

5. For extra security then consider the use of intruder alarms.

Points to consider to stop the theft of items

1. Keep an inventory of what has been purchased and the serial numbers on machines.
2. Mark all the equipment with the name of the farm or postcode in two ways:
   • Visually in large letters sprayed or painted on
   • Secretively by engraving, stamping, electronic tagging or invisible UV high light pens.
3. Use immobilisers, alarms or tracking devices on machinery, which is more valuable and more attractive to thieves.
4. Smaller items and machinery should also be securely locked in a building or metal container to physically prevent theft.

Farm watch schemes

Some police areas run a Farm Watch scheme.

Farmwatch schemes will encourage people in rural areas to be vigilant, and to report anything to the police and other neighbours.

It also encourages sharing of specified local knowledge of the community, which is of importance to the police.

Here is the Avon and Somerset sign.

Tasks to check your learning

Farm Security Task

Task 1

Using your own farm or a farm you work on or the college farm, draw a simple labelled plan of the farmhouse, buildings, roadways and access points.

Task 2

Write a short report of the security measures already in place and the steps that should be taken to improve security.

Summary

At the end of this session you will now be able to:

• Explain the issues around farm security
• Give examples of security issues
• Describe ways farmers can avoid thefts
• Explain the importance of a Farm Watch scheme