Powered by Sigfox’s IoT network, new technology gives farmer an affordable way to fight back against rural crime.
Any farmer who has experienced theft or vandalism knows the feeling: that sinking in the pit of your stomach when you wake up in the morning to discover someone has come onto your property in the middle of the night. Even if the damage is relatively small, just to know that a person can breach your sense of safety and security is an unwelcome feeling.
Rural crime is a growing problem. In some areas, up to 74% of farmers have experienced theft, trespassing or vandalism on their property. But farms are some of the most difficult sites to protect. Their remoteness turns them into easy targets for thieves, but their sheer size limits security options, making them expensive and complicated to secure.
Learn how one corn grower used the next generation of wireless alarms to fight back against rural crime and restore a sense of security on his farm.
CORN GROWER SEEKS AFFORDABLE OPTION FOR FARM SECURITY
Imagine this scenario: A corn grower wakes up one morning and heads to his barn. He is surprised to see the door ajar and even more surprised when he sees his tractor isn’t parked in its usual spot. After calling around to his employees, he realizes it isn’t just missing: it’s been stolen. Like a lot of farm equipment, his tractor has a universal key. So once the thieves cut the deadbolt on the barn, they simply drove off in the middle of the night undetected.
The farmer has insurance, so most of the cost to replace the $75,000 tractor will be covered. But it’s early May. His planting schedule is already tight, and being without a tractor for even a few days will set him back.
Even as he struggles to figure out how to make up for lost time, one thing becomes clear: he must find a way to protect his farm so this doesn’t happen again.
NEXT-GEN WIRELESS ALARMS SECURE MULTIPLE OUTBUILDINGS AT A LOW COST
At first, the best option seems to be installing a security system on the barn. The installation will cost a few thousand dollars, but it’s worth it. After thinking about it a little more, though, the farmer starts to call into question the security of the rest of his property. Will thieves target his two storage sheds next? And what about his family’s home on the property?
The relatively small operation may be able to bear the cost of one security system, but installing a system on each individual building just isn’t in the budget.
After asking around, the farmer hears about a new type of wireless alarm. This alarm doesn’t rely on WiFi like traditional wireless alarms. Instead, each unit connects to Sigfox’s unique network dedicated to the Internet of Things (IoT). The secure, global network was built specifically for this type of alarm application and other smart devices.
He may not care about all of the technology behind it, but the farmer cares about this: because a next-generation wireless alarm doesn’t depend on WiFi, it is simple to install and affordable to rent. He can set the alarm up himself, and there are no installation costs. In fact, he can rent one unit for only 15 USD per month. And, because he doesn’t have to sign a long-term contract, he isn’t making a major commitment by trying the technology.
All told, it costs the farmer just 720 USD to secure not only his barn, but his farmhouse and his main storage shed. That’s three buildings for less than the cost to install a traditional security system on just one building. And when he considers the 75,000 dollar price tag on a new tractor, the return-on-investment becomes even more clear.
But the greatest return-on-investment for installing a next-gen wireless alarm? The peace of mind the grower gets from knowing his family and assets are safe.
