How Farmers Use GPS Trackers

A day in the life of a farmer might involve analyzing soil, harvesting crops, and dispersing pesticides — all of which require expensive agricultural equipment. But did you know GPS technology can protect that equipment from theft? It's all thanks to the Global Positioning System — more than 30 navigational satellites that circle the planet. When these satellites send signals to receivers in GPS trackers, farmers can generate real-time location information about their tools and supplies on a computer or smartphone and quickly identify stolen and missing items, providing ongoing peace of mind. There are many other benefits of GPS trackers for farmers, which you will learn about below. 

What Are GPS Trackers for Farmers?

GPS trackers for farmers are small, stand-alone devices that attach to various vehicles and equipment. These trackers come with either magnets or cables that connect to items, improving location intelligence in your business. Thanks to the Global Positioning System, you can accurately identify any item attached to a GPS tracker within a few inches. That means GPS trackers provide more location precision than smartphones and other technologies. 

How Can GPS Trackers Help Farmers?

GPS trackers, like those manufactured by LandAirSea (LAS) can help farmers like you in the following ways:

Theft Protection

The average size of a farm in the United States in 2021 was 445 acres — a large rural space that might contain hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of equipment like tractors, balers, planters, mowers, and plows. This equipment is critical for the day-to-day running of your farm. If stolen, you won't be able to carry out tasks like harvesting crops and raising animals. 

Farm equipment is lucrative for criminals because they can items and parts on the black market. Some bold thieves even post stolen machinery on Craiglist and Facebook Marketplace, leaving farmers without the tools needed to do their jobs. Theft is particularly common during harvesting season when equipment is left in unprotected orchards and fields overnight.

GPS trackers for farmers can solve the problem of equipment theft by generating real-time location intelligence. For example, you can attach one of these items to a tractor or baler and receive notifications on your phone when equipment leaves a pre-determined geofence — a virtual parameter around a real-world location, such as a barn. After learning that your machinery has left its location, suggesting theft, you can track its destination on your computer or smartphone and pass on the location information to law enforcement who can find a stolen item for you. 

Quickly Locate Farm Areas

Some farms are so large that it's difficult to quickly locate crop fields, livestock, and agricultural buildings. Paper maps might help you find areas of your farm, but they won't tell you how far away you are from a particular location you need to reach. Digital, interactive maps can help you reach your destination, but they require WiFi or mobile network connectivity — which might not be available in some rural areas. 

Because it collects data from satellites, GPS lets you locate different parts of your farm quickly, even if you don't have access to WiFi, 5G, or other technologies. That helps you determine your distance from, say, a feed yard. You'll know how long it takes to get there and which route to use, speeding up the time it takes to complete agricultural tasks. 

Say you place a GPS tracker in a barn on the far side of your farm. You can get directions to the barn on your smartphone on an app that doesn't require an internet connection. 

Farm Mapping

Farm mapping is the process of mapping your land using technologies like GPS trackers. You can create paper maps that pinpoint agricultural buildings, roads, field boundaries, and land elements to learn more about your farm. For example, you can use farm mapping to discover the best places to plant crops. 

GPS technology assists with farm mapping by providing satellite imagery of a specific location. That lets you create maps with great detail, including the terrain and topography of your area. For instance, you can place a LAS GPS tracker in the middle of your farm and use satellite imagery in the Silvercloud app to map the surrounding area. 

Tracking Employees

If you have employees working on your farm, you can use GPS devices to track their performance and productivity, improving operations in your business. For example, you can attach a GPS tracker to a baler and monitor an employee cutting and raking hay. The tracker will reveal insights like what routes the employee takes in your farm and how long it takes them to reach a location. If the person takes too long to complete a job, you can provide additional training. 

Alternatively, you can place a GPS tracker in a vehicle that delivers goods from your farm to your customers. Again, you can determine how long it takes the driver to get to their destination, what route they took, whether they made any stops during the journey, and what speed they traveled. 

Support Insurance Claims

GPS trackers for farmers are not only useful for identifying stolen items but providing insurance companies with information about a theft, helping you speed up your claim when criminals steal expensive equipment. With GPS historical maps, insurers can see evidence that an item like a baler left its original location and quickly issue funds for a replacement.

LAS GPS trackers make it easy to share location information with insurance companies through its ShareSpot feature. 

Quickly Identify Employee Locations

If you have a large farm, employees can place GPS trackers in their pockets or bags during the working day so you can quickly find their locations. GPS trackers can be useful for emergencies where an employee wanders off from their original location and gets lost on your farm. 

What Are the Best GPS Trackers for Farmers?

These GPS trackers for farmers can help you improve theft protection, locate farm areas, improve farm mapping, and more:

LandAirSea 54

The LandAirSea 54 with Sharespot has an industrial-strength magnet that can attach to any vehicle or equipment on your farm and generate the location intelligence you need. This GPS tracker for farmers is waterproof and dustproof, making it a good fit for different terrains. It's also small enough to hide in balers, tractors, trailers, and other vehicles. ShareSpot technology lets you share location information with insurance companies, law enforcement, farm workers, and friends. Other features of this GPS tracker include InstaFence, geofence alerts, battery alerts, speed alerts, and a dark mode.  

LandAirSea Sync

Unlike the LandAirSea 54, the LandAirSea Sync doesn't come with any magnets. Instead, it connects directly to the OBD II port in a vehicle, such as a car or van. That means it doesn't require batteries, saving you money in the long run and offering reliable throughout the device's lifespan. For example, you can attach the LandAirSea Sync to a vehicle that transports goods from your farm and track driver performance. Other features include speed and geofence alerts and arrival and departure notifications. 

LandAirSea Overdrive

The LandAirSea Overdrive has a battery that lasts three to four times longer than the LandAirSea 54, making it a wise investment for long-term location tracking. You can attach it to vehicles and equipment on your farm with the provided magnets and get more accurate location insights about your business. Other features include speed alerts, battery alerts, fence alerts, and a dark mode.   

Not sure which product to use on your farm? Contact LAS to discover more about the best GPS trackers for farmers like you. 

Why Choose LAS?

Since the early '90s, LAS has pioneered GPS tracking technology and worked with industries such as border control, law enforcement, local government, construction, professional services, and the military. Some reasons to choose LAS for your GPS needs include:

• Excellent customer support from US-based support teams
• Simple installation and activation for GPS trackers 
• Online guides and tutorials that help you set up and troubleshoot your tracker
• Pay-as-you-go pricing on some trackers
• No hidden costs or nasty surprises

Final Word About GPS Trackers for Farmers 

GPS trackers for farmers can prevent the theft of expensive equipment, allowing you to quickly identify and recover stolen items. These technologies safeguard the equipment modern farms rely on to carry out day-to-day duties such as raising animals and harvesting crops. GPS trackers can also help you monitor employees, locate farm areas, and map your farm. 

LAS devices generate the location intelligence you need, supporting various use cases on your farm. Order a GPS tracker today, or email ian.conley@landairsea.com for more information about GPS trackers for farmers.