Farmers Face Growing Threat from Agricultural Thieves

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Gone are the days when farmers left their front doors unlocked and their barns unsecured. Today, farmers face a growing threat from thieves out to steal everything from tractors to crops to livestock.

While agricultural theft is nothing new, it is on the rise and farmers are doing all they can to protect themselves and their property from these criminals. Law enforcement is helping, too. Sheriff departments across the country have added rural crime units.

Of course the best offense is a good defense. Farmers are using a combination of tried-and-true crime fighting methods and modern technology to stop petty thieves as well as large-scale criminal operations looking to get away with thousands of dollars in farm equipment and much more. What follows is a list of the most effective ways to keep thieves at bay:

  • Post signs. Many a hiker has crossed farmland unaware that he or she is trespassing. In such cases, posting signs that read “private property” or “no trespassing” should do the trick.
  • Put up fences and other barriers. Signs aren’t always visible so you may want to put up fences, including barbed wire fences. You also should consider planting large trees or hedges to deter unwanted visitors. These natural barriers also help to obscure your land and property. Gate hinges are easily removed so should be fortified. Secure gates with chains and locks. Secure access roads with gates or cables stretched between posts cemented in the ground.
  • Lock it up. Weld metal covers over hasps to protect padlocks from being cut. Lock storage areas with padlocks, hasps and deadbolts.
  • Light it up. Make sure your farm is well lit at night and that it is lit in the right places, including near fuel tanks, grain bins, barns and outbuildings. Lights should be kept on automatic timers. Install motion sensor lighting around the perimeter of shops and other buildings.
  • Get a dog. A dog’s bark is a strong deterrent to would-be criminals.
  • Install video surveillances systems. Cameras, monitors and recorders should be integrated with devices like motion detectors that trigger alarms and activate video recorders. Sometimes just seeing a camera will be enough to scare away a thief.
  • Make your mark. The owner applied number (OAN) program was established by the FBI to return stolen property using a unique 10-digit number, identifying the state, county and owner. This number can be permanently stamped on tractors, tools and everything in between. As a result of this program, stolen equipment has been recovered from across the U.S. You also can fit equipment and other vehicles with security tags that relay a GPS signal to help locate the property (and the thieves who took it)! You should permanently tag your livestock and post signs to advertise this fact, as well.
  • Boost awareness. On large farms, make sure employees are always on the lookout for suspicious activity or unfamiliar faces. Also make sure any vandalism or property damage is reported immediately.

While agricultural theft shows no signs of slowing down, today’s farmers are fighting back. And the methods they are using are proving to be very effective!

Marketing New Ag Technology Requires Straightforward Approach

The agriculture industry is experiencing a boom in the area of technology that is unlike any it has ever seen before. If you are an agri-business looking to entice your Ag customers into purchasing the latest technology—from crop sensors to drones to livestock biometrics—there is no doubt you know a lot about what you are selling.

Farmers and ranchers will no doubt benefit from such technology and are interested in learning as much about it as possible. One thing they are not interested in, however, is listening to you go over every technological detail. Instead, you may want to take some advice from Albert Einstein when he said, “Genius is making complex ideas simple, not making simple ideas complex.” In other words, as farmers continue to face a barrage of new and sometimes complicated technologies, it would be well for those marketing such technologies to keep their message straightforward and not throw in a lot of extraneous tech-speak.

This is not to say that the information should be oversimplified. The technology available to farmers today is remarkable and will allow farmers to be more productive. However, as a marketer, it is important to remember that your job is to give farmers what they want—the lowdown on how this new technology will help make their farming operation more efficient and more profitable. It also is important to remember that while farmers are well able to adapt to new technologies, they are not going to rush to buy new technologies without thinking long and hard about whether or not they will benefit from it.

The best way to market new technology to farmers is to illustrate these technological advances in terms that mean something to farmers. Stay away from conversations about complex algorithms and focus more on reducing water usage or increasing milk production, for example. Farmers want to know how new technology can be incorporated into their operations without causing major disruptions. And if there will be some disruptions, and chances are there will, be honest about it. However, frame those things in relation to the value farmers will gain.

If farmers sense that you are less interested in how a particular technology will benefit them and more interested in impressing them with your knowledge of all things tech, they will be anything but impressed. Instead, let them know you want to help them improve their operation. By doing so, everyone will benefit from the newest products in Ag tech.

Surviving Winter on the Farm

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Harsh winter weather can be dangerous no matter where you live. However, blizzards and severe conditions hit farmers and ranchers especially hard.

When you are miles from the nearest store or even a neighbor you need to make sure that you have everything on hand so that you, your family and your animals can survive extreme conditions. Dangerously cold temperature, strong winds and reduced visibility are just some of the conditions you may encounter. Further, heavy snow can lead to the collapse of roofs and power outages.

When it comes to surviving a blizzard, it is important not to be caught off guard. While weather predictions aren’t always spot on, it is unlikely that heavy snowfall and blizzard conditions will come out of the, well, clear blue sky.

Making sure you are well prepared for a blizzard means that you have what you need on hand so that you and your livestock can ride out the storm. It is important that you winterize your farmhouse and all outbuildings while the weather is still mild. You also should stock your home with extra blankets to keep you warm in the event that power goes out. Bottle water and food that does not need to be heated up before you eat it is essential. Finally, make sure you have a first-aid kit and that you are familiar with the signs and symptoms of hypothermia and frostbite.
Livestock farmers and ranchers need to be diligent (and most are) when preparing livestock before a blizzard hits. Unfortunately, many times a blizzard may occur that is much stronger than expected and the results can be catastrophic. The following steps should be taken in anticipation of a hard winter:

1. Make sure all livestock are in the best possible health. This will go a long way toward helping them survive weather emergencies.

2. Evaluate emergency hay reserves. Since cold weather increases animals’ energy needs, it is important that you are able to adjust their diet as needed during a long stretch of extremely low temperatures.

3. Service all feeding equipment to avoid breakdowns. This includes assessing fuel storage and supplies and testing generators and connections. It also includes making sure water heaters are in working order.

4. Maintain structural windbreaks.

5. Have adequate bedding. Not only does clean, dry bedding reduce stress on animals, when animals are wet their nutrition maintenance requirements increase.

Perhaps the most important thing to remember during blizzards (or any severe weather situation) is that you cannot take care of your family, animals or property if you don’t take care of yourself first.

Want to Connect with Farmers? Spend Some Time on the Farm!

If you are marketing to farmers and have a strong agricultural background, it makes sense that you will be able to connect with farmers on a personal and professional level. However, if you did not grow up on a farm, don’t despair. Marketing to farmers isn’t as difficult as you might think—even for a lifelong city dweller!

If you really want to understand where farmers are coming from, spend some time with them on the farm. In fact, nothing will earn a farmer’s respect more than someone who is genuinely interested in learning about his or her way of life and business.

If you own an ag-based business you also would do well to become involved in the many organizations and networks that farmers rely on. These include things like county and university extension offices and commodity checkoff programs. Depending on the nature of your business, it is also important to learn about organizations that are specific to the particular types of farmers you are marketing to, as well. If you are marketing to fruit or vegetable producers, for example, you will want to learn all you can about labor and food safety issues. Marketing to corn farmers? Get well acquainted with the National Corn Growers Association.

Further, if you want to establish yourself as someone who is really interested in getting to know the farming industry, there are certain pitfalls to avoid. Farmers have little time or patience for people who think they know more than they do about the agriculture business. To build your credibility, avoid using farm tours as an opportunity to sell. If you schedule a visit to a farm to learn about that operation, the worst thing you can do is to push your product or service during that visit.

It also is imperative that you ask questions if you don’t understand something. Farmers are more than happy to explain things and will see your curiosity and eagerness to learn about their operation as a strength rather than a weakness. No one knows better than farmers that it is impossible to understand the agricultural industry if you have little or no experience on the farm.

If you think that you don’t have the time required to really get involved in the lives of the farmers you are selling to, remember this: If you don’t take the time now, you can count on making very few sales in the future. On the other hand, when you get to know your farmers and their way of life at the beginning of your relationship, you will in most cases have loyal customers for years to come.

Where Do Farmers Hang Out Online? Everywhere!

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Getting noticed by farmers online is becoming more and more difficult for Ag-based businesses. Much of this has to do with the fact that, like other Americans, farmers get their information from a variety of media platforms. Unfortunately, maintaining a substantial presence on every online channel can be challenging.

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, tablets, smart phones, internet searches, websites—if farmers want to know something, it is becoming more difficult to predict where exactly they will go to look for it. Further, on any given day, farmers can be on a variety of platforms.

If you want to market to farmers you must have a solid strategy in place so that your message reaches the farmers you are trying to connect with. Here are some important tips for building that type of strategy:

1. Remember that once is NEVER enough. Selling a new farm implement? Share it on Facebook. Send out a tweet. Blog about how much time or money it will save farmers.

2. Don’t cross your channels. Don’t write lengthy blogs about your product on your Facebook page. Don’t try to stuff too much information into a single tweet. You get the idea.

3. Always be evaluating. Is a particular message bringing in more leads? Does a certain platform seem to be especially popular with your target audience? It is important to monitor how your messages are being received and where they are getting read. If your Twitter posts seem to get no attention but Facebook posts are liked and shared in big numbers, continue with your Facebook efforts and find ways to tweak your Twitter efforts.

4. Consider something new. If you are having trouble keeping track of all of your online efforts, the thought of adding more to your plate may seem overwhelming. However, it is necessary to take a risk once in a while. Consider a marketing tactic you have never tried—hosting a web chat, for example. It may flop but it might be a huge success. You simply never know until you try.
Marketing to farmers can take a lot of time but you should be encouraged by the fact that if you have something important to say, farmers are always willing to listen. The key is to make sure that your message shows up where those farmers frequent.

Growing Your Ag-Based Business

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If you own a small agriculture-based business, chances are you are always looking for ways to grow that business. While expanding your business can be a risk—especially if you are doing reasonably well now—it is a risk worth taking. This is especially true when you know that there are more people out there who would benefit from your product or service.

The key to growing your business is to make sure you have a plan. While every business is different and requires a unique vision for the future, there are some basic tenets that need to be adhered to whether you are selling farm machinery or children’s clothing.

1. Remember that timing is everything. Make sure the market conditions are right for growing your business. If you have to wait a few months or even longer to expand your offerings because of a soft market, use that time to prepare for your expansion.

2. Surround yourself with the right people. If you really want to grow your small business, you are going to have to hire dedicated, talented individuals to help you. It is essential that you take your time when hiring because one wrong hire can set you back considerably.

3. Embrace change. The most successful businesses are able to adapt and respond to market conditions. If you find it difficult to recover after a setback, you are going to have a tough time growing your business because there will always be bumps in the road. The most successful business owners use these bumps as lessons and move on.

4. Focus on customer service. No business will survive if doesn’t provide outstanding customer service. Never grow your business so fast that you are forced to sacrifice customer service. And in your quest to acquire new customers, never forget your current customers. Customer loyalty can literally make or break a business.

5. Take advantage of technology. The larger your business becomes, the more likely you will need to implement more advanced technology. Make sure you carefully research your options so that this technology allows you to better manage your business.

The decision to grow your small Ag business can be daunting. The key is to know where you want to go and how to get there. Remember, if you offer a quality product or service that is in demand and you treat your customers well, the sky is the limit.