After a long day in the field, shop, or barn, you trust that your tools and equipment will be safe until morning. Life in the country should be safe and secure.

But the rural community is changing. That neighbor you knew for 20 years is no longer down the road, and new faces have moved in. Urban sprawl is beginning to make its way into once-secluded farm communities. As a result, rural crime rates are on the rise.

"It used to be that everyone knew their neighbors in the country. People move around so much now. Farmers don't know their neighbors as well as they once did," says Dan Neenan, manager, National Education Center for Agricultural Safety.

In January 2005, the National Equipment Register (NER) compiled an Equipment Theft Report for 2004. According to the report, estimates of the total value of equipment stolen annually range between $300 million and $1 billion. The report notes one of the reasons for the high level of equipment thefts is easy access to equipment due to poor security.

To get an idea of how safe and secure farms in the Midwest are, Successful Farming magazine, in conjunction with the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety (NECAS), evaluates three farms: a livestock and grain farm in Illinois; a hog and custom combining operation in Iowa; and a dairy farm in Wisconsin.

As safety expert Neenan walks through the individual farms with their owners, he evaluates the facilities and farm machinery based on an audit form developed by NECAS and Successful Farming magazine. The Farmstead Security Audit Form, which consists of 49 questions, evaluates the level of security on farms and farmsteads. The form enables farm owners to determine areas of their operations that could be more secure in order to prevent vandalism, theft, and terror-related activities. While the emphasis is on security, safety of the farm family, workers, and visitors are also a primary concern.

This four-part series shares the results of the farms scores and the improvements made to make the farms more safe and secure.

Ron and Brad Mapes work over 2,000 acres and raise approximately 900 cattle a year on their farm in Stockton, Illinois. Their operation consists of three separate farms. Ron has been farming for more than 47 years. Son Brad and daughter-in-law Kim have begun the transition of taking over.

Stepping into the shop on the main farm, the first issue is whether or not they lock the shop when they're not around or at night. They don't. A combine is parked in the shop with the keys in it. Considering the shop is left unlocked, both father and son know the keys should not be left in the machine. However, Ron notes, "If there's ever a fire, I won't have to run around to find keys." A good point, but it still makes a thief's job a lot easier. Father and son acknowledge this, especially given the fact that they're aware of recent thefts.

"I heard someone had a semen tank stolen right off the back of their truck. A friend in the area had tools stolen, and he didn't realize it until he began to look for them," notes Ron.

As they move outside to view fuel tanks and propane tanks, Neenan notes the Mapes' propane tanks are properly set up, which he rarely sees. A barrier has been placed in front of the tanks to prevent a direct hit by a tractor or vehicle. And while this reflects positively on the farm, neither tank is locked.

Even though fuel tanks are hidden between and beside buildings, they are unlocked and easily accessible. Additional lighting could be placed around the shop to eliminate areas where individuals could hide in the shadows.

As he travels to the second Mapes farm, where livestock are housed, Neenan notices that there is proper lighting around these buildings. However, medicines are not locked in a cabinet but are, in fact, stored in an area in the shop.

The third Mapes farm has similar violations as the first two. Two fuel tanks sit alongside the driveway, in clear view, and are not locked. However, there is ample lighting around the buildings and barn to deter intruders.

Overall, out of the 32 questions that apply to their operation, the Mapeses are not in compliance (or safe and secure) with more than a third.

Turning onto the gravel road for Paul Mausser's farm in Epworth, Iowa, the first thing you notice is how secluded the location is. The farm is situated on a dead-end road with few neighbors. Mausser, who is a hog and crop farmer, finishes 1,000 hogs every 150 days and works approximately 5,000 acres. He also custom combines, which means a lot of expensive equipment. But Mausser believes his location is a benefit.

"Nobody knows we're back here. You can't see us from the road," he says. He's right. His farm can't be seen from the road. Just as someone who shouldn't be there can't be seen either.

As items are checked off on the audit form, Neenan and Mausser pass a propane tank that is not properly barricaded for impact. In addition, there is no lock. Two fuel tanks are situated to the right of the driveway. Both are out in the open and have no locks.

Walking into Mausser's unlocked shop, tools and equipment line the walls and cover the floor. But nothing is marked with a logo or number to track it in case of theft. In addition, there is no inventory of equipment, tools, or supplies.

"We plan on cataloging all of the equipment this winter and putting it in a computer program," says Mausser.

A shiny red pickup sits in the open bay of the shop with the keys in it.

Leaving the shop, they enter another outbuilding, which is unlocked. It holds various chemicals until someone has time to store them properly.

As they pass a couple of tractors, Neenan notices the keys are in them.

When questioned about storage of medicines and medical supplies, Mausser notes they are kept in the office. As the men enter the unlocked office, a small wooden box serves as a makeshift medicine cabinet. The needles lie next to the box.

Overall, out of the 39 questions that apply to his operation, Mausser answers positively to 23.

"Both of these farms need more attention to security," says Neenan. Brad and Ron Mapes and Paul Mausser say that locking shops, taking keys out of tractors, and securing medicines are inconveniences.

"There are so many people in and out of this shop, we don't want to have to mess around with keys or people losing keys," says Ron. There are other ways to secure an area without the use of keys, however. Neenan suggests using coded locks, which do away with the need for everyone to have a key.

After reviewing their Farmstead Security Audit Forms, the Mapeses and Mausser realize they need to modify the way they do business. Neenan recommends that both farms have a locking livestock medicine cabinet to properly secure their supplies. A refrigerated unit would be even better so all types of medications can be stored in one location.

The consistently lowest score for both farm sites is the fuel storage and dispensing station. Both are compliant with only one of the five questions asked, which is adequate lighting.

Neenan suggests, at the very least, that diesel bulk tanks have the capability of being locked and safety signs be posted. In addition, keyless locks for farm shops would secure equipment and tools without the hassle of keys.

Take a good, hard look around your farm or ranch. How safe and secure is your operation?