Steps farmers can take to protect themselves as farm thefts rise

Jun 27, 2023

The dramatic rise in auto thefts in Ontario has been making headlines in the media recently. Thieves are getting bolder – and better – in stealing cars but are also increasingly making targets of farmers and rural property owners.

Reports of brazen farm equipment and other thefts are becoming more common, from GPS receivers and catalytic converters to trucks and livestock.

There used to be a certain amount of protection that came from living and working in rural Ontario away from urban areas and high traffic zones. Out of sight, out of mind – or so the saying goes – but it’s that rural isolation that is now increasingly making us a target as thieves have come to learn that many people in rural areas are away from their properties during the day.

I recently attended the annual conference of the Ontario Association of Crime Stoppers (OACS), an organization that represents 37 crime stoppers programs across Ontario. Crime stoppers are known for their anonymous tip lines where people who’ve witnessed a crime can make a report, as well as for the cash rewards they pay if a tip leads to a crime being solved.

These local programs play an invaluable role in helping solve crimes by working with law enforcement at all levels and harnessing the power of our communities to keep people safe.

Another great way to protect yourself and your property is to take steps to prevent theft from happening in the first place. Nothing is ever foolproof, of course, but there are actions you can take to deter thieves from making you a target. If it becomes too difficult, they’ll often move on to an easier target.

Source : OFA

Video: Root Exudates, Soil Biology, and How Plants Recruit Microbes | Field Talk Friday

Field Talk Friday | Dr. John Murphy | Root Exudates, Soil Biology, and How Plants Recruit Microbes

Most of us spend our time managing what we can see above ground—plant height, leaf color, stand counts, and yield potential. But the deeper you dig into agronomy, the more you realize that some of the most important processes driving crop performance are happening just millimeters below the surface.

In this episode of Field Talk Friday, Dr. John Murphy continues the soil biology series by diving into one of the most fascinating topics in modern agronomy: root exudates and the role they play in shaping the microbial world around plant roots.

Roots are not passive structures simply pulling nutrients out of the soil. They are active participants in the underground ecosystem. Plants constantly release compounds into the soil—sugars, amino acids, organic acids, and other molecules—that act as both energy sources and signals for soil microbes.