By Madeline Schultz and Lisa Scarbrough
In an era when cyber threats are becoming increasingly sophisticated, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach launched the Cybersecurity for Iowa Farmers and Rural Businesses project to help protect rural communities' digital infrastructure.
"By equipping Iowa’s rural communities with cybersecurity knowledge, we can help protect livelihoods and prevent costly cyber incidents," said Madeline Schultz, program leader.
The initiative was dedicated to educating farmers and others on best practices to safeguard digital assets, financial records and sensitive farm data.
Farming operations now rely heavily on technology, from precision agriculture tools and automated equipment to online financial transactions and cloud-based management software. However, these advances also expose rural businesses to cyber threats, including data breaches, phishing attacks and ransomware. Farmers can learn more about ways to protect their farm business by visiting Ag Decision Maker.
Through a unique partnership with the ISU Extension and Outreach Farm Management Team and Iowa State’s Center for Cybersecurity Innovation and Outreach, the Cybersecurity for Iowa Farmers and Rural Businesses project team aimed to:
- Raise awareness about cybersecurity risks in agriculture.
- Provide practical training and resources for farmers and rural businesses.
- Offer workshops, webinars and informational guides on data protection.
- Promote best practices such as strong password management, regular software updates and recognizing phishing attempts.
In total, the project reached 2,631 farmers through 133 programs and online resources.
The project was supported by USDA/NIFA and the North Central Extension Risk Management Education Center under Award Number 2021-70027-34694.
Topics that resonated with participants were the importance of using complex passwords, back-up systems and other cyber safety measures to make themselves a hard target, as well as having a plan for when, not if, the farm experiences a cyber event.
The on-site workshops and online resources had a significant impact by raising awareness and sharing proactive measures farmers can take to strengthen cybersecurity. A total of 1,203 farmers attended farmland leasing meetings, and half of the 215 survey respondents planned to implement cybersecurity measures. Courses for Annie’s Project had 61 participants in total. In a follow-up, 90% of surveyed women discussed cybersecurity with their families, and 60% took action to increase cyber safety. Half accessed online resources after the workshop.
One participant began sending a small dollar amount to test online wire transfers before sending larger amounts for loads of cattle. She also began using multi-factor authentication for all online accounts. “Those issues are really important for us, so we don’t have dollars going somewhere they’re not supposed to be,” she commented.
The project has already been recognized nationally for its impact. At the 2025 National Extension Risk Management Education Conference in Nashville, Tennessee, the initiative received the Outstanding Project Award for the North Central Region.
“This project was particularly interesting because it addressed cybersecurity in agriculture. It’s a key issue, a priority in our region and a growing need across the country,” said Brad Lubben, director, North Central ERME Center. To learn more about the award, watch this video.
The award was presented to Madeline Schultz, Alexis Stevens and the ISU Extension and Outreach Farm Management Team, in recognition of their commitment to strengthening cybersecurity awareness across Iowa’s agricultural sector.
"As cyber threats continue to evolve, it is critical to ensure that Iowa’s farmers and agribusinesses stay protected in a digital world," said Stevens. "We are honored to receive this award and proud of the progress we've made."
Iowa farmers are moving toward more smart farming systems that rely on internet-based systems. This connectivity sets them up for potential cybercrimes that can impact livestock and crop production systems. In addition, there were six Presidential Disaster Declarations in Iowa over the last five years due to severe weather. Power outages and system damage can shut down smart farming infrastructure.
Seeing a continuous need for cybersecurity education, a new project, Crisis Management for Smart Farming Systems on Iowa Farms, aims to address these issues. The grant project is also supported by USDA/NIFA and the North Central Extension Risk Management Education Center.
The team will support farmers in reducing economic losses due to disruptions of internet-based systems, no matter the cause. Programs will give producers opportunities to practice managing a cyber emergency and provide checklists and other tools to create an emergency preparedness plan for their farm business.
Source : iastate.edu