For instance:
• Don't leave the keys in the ignition and lock cabs at night
• Put the tractor or handler out of sight in a locked barn when it's not being used
• Be wary of storing important kit in barns near a footpath
• Chain kit to stanchions in the barn or another implement (but don't forget to remove the chain when you come to get in the tractor the next morning)
• Buy half a dozen geese and let them wander about the farmyard. Much more effective than a dog at making a noise
• Think about the possibility of a motorised gate to deter potential thieves. Not a cheap option, though the Agriwheel allows you to motorise an existing gate.
• Look at driveway alarm options. These can work on PIR detectors, rubber hose alarms across the road or even vibration sensing wires buried alongside tracks. All are now available as wireless options, so no need to dig lots of trenches. For security options for your home and farm buildings, check Home Security Bargains. You will find a large selections of motion lights, alarms, and many other security options to keep your family and property safe.
• Be extra careful about leaving tractors in fields overnight. It's tempting if the field is a long way from base but if you do, make sure it's as hidden as possible.

Secure your shed

Hiding tractors away in closed shed might be a nice idea, but many machinery sheds have open bays that are visible to all. Even if you do put them away in a closed building, repeatedly opening and closing traditional manual sliding doors gets tedious.
A more realistic option may be security lights that are motion sensitive or an alarm that is triggered in the same way. Usually the noise and/or lights will scare all but the most determined thief. For a little more you can install a more sophisticated alarm system. Visit Home Security Bargains to learn more about home security and explore the many options available.

When driving down the rural roads motorists may encounter farm equipment, said Weigel, of the College of Agriculture and human development specialist with the UW Cooperative Extension Service.

Agricultural equipment is becoming bigger. As farms become larger in size and spread out over more area, farmers are spending more time traveling with their tractors and equipment on public roads.

Agricultural equipment on the road can be hazardous to both farmers and motorists, he noted. Most farm equipment usually travels 25 mph or less in areas where the speed limit may be posted at 65 mph. A motorist going 65 mph on the highway approaching farm equipment at 15 mph can be on the equipment’s “back door” in less than five seconds (while traveling more than length of a football field).

“This does not give the motorist much time to react,” said Weigel. “According to the National Safety Council, roadway collisions that involve farm vehicles on U.S. roads total more than 15,000 per year. More than two-thirds of these collisions involve the farm vehicle being hit from behind, but collisions can also occur when the tractor and equipment try to make left turns or by sideswipes.”

More than 90 percent of these collisions occur in the daylight and on dry roads. Usually, when the fatality occurs, the victim is the equipment operator.

Weigel offers the following suggestions:

Be alert

Upon seeing farm equipment, slow down. Even though farmers take safety precautions to ensure their machinery is easily visible, motorists should take the initiative and drive carefully and not assume they are visible to the farmer. If motorists follow too closely behind farm vehicles, they are most likely obscured from the farmer’s view.

Be aware

Farmers use large pieces of equipment. As farms increase in size, so does equipment size, as a rule. Most equipment is larger than the travel lanes, and drivers of vehicles cannot pass safely at fast speeds.

“Stop and let the equipment pass, then continue on your way,” noted Weigel. “Do not assume if the farmer pulls to the right side of the road he or she is going to make a right-hand turn. Due to the size of equipment, the farmer must move to the right before making a wide left turn.”

When meeting farm vehicles at or on a bridge, motorists need to give the farmer enough room to completely exit the bridge before they begin to cross. There is not enough room for both.

Be alive

Be patient, Weigel advised. Farmers will attempt to pull off the side of the road at the first opportunity so motorists can pass. Steep ditches, soft shoulders or wet conditions could cause a farm vehicle to tip over when pulling over to the side to allow drivers to pass. Do not follow too closely so the farmer is unable to see your vehicle or if the farmer has to come to a quick stop.

Remember, farmers are not operating equipment on rural roads to slow you down intentionally.

“Rural road rage can be negated if everyone takes the responsibility to have extra patience, careful driving habits and use high-visibility markings and lighting,” Weigel said. “A collision with a slow-moving vehicle versus a fast-moving vehicle will more than likely be a fatal crash. So remember to be alert, be aware and be alive.”

Wyoming AgrAbility is part of a national program administered through the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It is focused on promoting independence for members of the agricultural community who have disabilities resulting from injury, illness, aging or other causes.

For more information on safety on the farm or ranch or information on how Wyoming AgrAbility may be able to help, call toll-free (866) 395-4986, e-mail agrability@uwyo.edu or visit www.uwyo.edu/agrability.