Insurance credit and hardware rebate encourage barn monitoring technology
A new partnership between Distynct and Pledge Insurance Advisors has introduced a program that rewards livestock producers who invest in advanced barn monitoring technology. The initiative is designed to reduce the risk of livestock losses and strengthen long-term farm resilience.
The program recognizes the important role that continuous barn monitoring plays in protecting animals and improving farm management. Farmers who install a Distynct Barn Alarm system may qualify for two key benefits. These include a policy credit on certain property and casualty insurance policies and a hardware rebate on newly installed Distynct Barn Alarm equipment.
"This program reflects our focus on risk management and loss prevention," said James Tesdall, Vice President – Agency Principal at Pledge Insurance Advisors. "Distynct has earned trust across the industry, with adoption among many of the leading swine production companies in the United States. Its ability to scale reliable, 24/7 monitoring across large, complex operations gives us confidence that this technology can meaningfully support better risk management."
The insurance credit applies to qualifying non-admitted policies written through the ABS Farm & Ranch Program. At the same time, Distynct provides a manufacturer-funded rebate for eligible alarm hardware. However, the rebate only applies to new installations and does not cover monitoring or subscription services. This approach ensures the reliability and quality of the monitoring system over time.
Distynct Barn Alarm systems provide around-the-clock monitoring of barn conditions. The system uses sensors to track important factors such as temperature, power supply, and water availability. If a problem occurs, farmers receive alerts quickly so they can respond before a serious loss happens.
According to industry leaders, improved monitoring can reduce risk and improve overall farm safety. One company representative explained that reliable monitoring helps answer important questions about barn conditions and ensures farmers receive alerts when conditions change.
The monitoring platform is designed to be flexible and can support a wide range of sensors. This allows farmers to monitor multiple aspects of their barns and livestock facilities. As a result, large and complex livestock operations can benefit from better visibility and faster responses to potential problems.
"Better monitoring reduces risk — but only if the right questions can actually be asked and answered. Distynct was built as an open platform that lets anyone ask questions of the barn using a nearly limitless set of deployable sensors," said BJ Brugman, CEO of Distynct.
“In this case, the insurance industry cares about simple, critical questions: Do you have power? Is the temperature staying in range? Is water available? And just as importantly, are you going to get notified reliably if any of those conditions change? When those questions can be answered consistently and at scale, risk goes down. This program is the first to recognize that outcome — lower risk through better, more comprehensive monitoring," said Brugman.
The program is also designed to be easy for producers to access. Farmers can purchase Distynct Barn Alarm systems directly from the company or through authorized distributors such as Hog Slat. To qualify, producers must have an active Distynct monitoring system installed at the insured location and hold a qualifying policy through Pledge Insurance Advisors.
By encouraging the use of monitoring technology, the program supports improved risk management and helps livestock producers better protect their animals and farm operations.
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