What processes and operations are essential to the survival of your farm? These are your critical assets. Prioritize them and your security measures that protect them.

Are critical assets located in fire- or flood-prone areas? Can animals be fed and watered in a blizzard? As you develop and analyze your farm map, you can better understand what areas of your farm are most valuable and most vulnerable.

Fine tune your system by looking at your operation from an intruder’s perspective. Ask yourself

• WHO would want to come on the farm uninvited?
• WHAT would they want to steal, damage or destroy?
• WHY would someone want to cause harm?
• WHEN might a farm asset be most vulnerable?
• WHERE is the asset located? Is it easily accessible? Would it be noticed right away if someone tampered with it? Is it properly secured?
• HOW great -and how real- is the RISK that someone might steal, attack, or destroy it?

It is especially helpful to review your plan with emergency personnel who have experience with these issues. You can use your farm map to help you decide where to place additional locks, sensors, security lighting, gates, etc.