Good Farm Security is Good Biosecurity

Ask any farmer and they will tell you that biosecurity is one of their top priorities. It’s crucial to the health and welfare of their animals. While farmers typically focus on training their team on proper biosecurity protocols on the farm, it’s important to remember that some other threats can come from outside the farm.

Animal rights extremists continually attempt to gain access to farms and facilities by any means necessary – and oftentimes that means a disregard (or lack of knowledge) of biosecurity measures like proper clothing and sanitizing. We see this all the time in “undercover videos” of extremists breaking into barns and facilities wearing street clothing after possibly having visited other facilities that same day with similar intent. Keeping these high-risk visitors off your farm is important for many reasons but the health and safety of your animals is a big one. 

The best way to eliminate any biosecurity risk is to stop any unwanted visitors from entering your farm – farm security is key. There are several aspects of implementing a strong farm security plan. 

Here are three tips to get started:

1.    Start by making your farm “YouTube proof.”

• Pretend someone is taking a video of your farm to share on YouTube. Are you comfortable with that scenario? Typically, we don’t get a heads up or time to prepare when anti-animal agriculture visitors stop by. Be proactive in ensuring you’re doing everything right ahead of time.
• Protect yourself and your animals by always using science-based animal care and environmental policies.
• Conduct self-audits to find new ways to improve and ensure current practices and protocols are being properly followed.

2.    Make yourself a harder target. 

• Put up “No Trespassing” signs.
• Install motion sensor lighting and security cameras.
• Have gates and fencing with locks – and make sure they’re locked when not in use. 

3.    Be cautious with hiring. 

• You might have done all you can do to protect yourself from unwanted visitors entering your farm, but extremists know other ways to gain access to your property, including through employment. Don’t cut corners on your hiring process and always have a formal policy. This should include a written application with references and past employers. It’s imperative that you take proper precautions and call the employers to verify that this person is who they say they are. 

With biosecurity being top of mind for many farmers, it’s important to remember this wider approach to both biosecurity and farm security. While we can do our best to protect animals on the farm, we also need to stay vigilant about threats coming from outside the farm. More detailed advice is available on our website. 

Read more:

When Something’s Not Right: 5 Ways to Protect Your Farm From an Activist Attack

Biosecurity and Farm Security are Closely Linked

Activist Threats Aren't Just on the Farm Anymore