Farmers are familiar with AI as the abbreviation for artificial insemination or avian influenza, and many know it also stands for artificial intelligence.
Alexis Stevens, farm management specialist with Iowa State University, said there are more than 36,000 AI tools available today – and the number is growing.
In describing AI, Stevens explained “a machine or computer is generating or predicting the most likely scenario or word, or it’s learning the same way people learn. Some AI tools are extremely ‘intelligent’ and can learn. AI tools collect and process data, or perform analytics, testing the validation of assumptions, then deploy it.”
Some uses for AI in agriculture include precision ag, soil sensors, nutrient management, irrigation management, plant disease detection, pest identification and management and yield and market predictions.
AI in agriculture can model and adjust crop treatments according to weather events and other stressors and make insurance decisions based on data. Specific tools can predict markets and consider cost of production, then determine how much of a crop should be sold and what price will meet the cost of production. AI models can also adjust to changes in production costs throughout the year.
Smartphones or tablets might hold a wide range of information and apps from various companies; AI can integrate devices and information.
“AI models can bring those together,” said Stevens. “Organizations are starting to aggregate information into one big farm ‘brain’ that contains all the information about the farm to connect it all.” This integration allows farmers to make continuous, beneficial operation changes.
Despite the potential time and labor savings with AI, farmers should be aware of the pitfalls. While cyber criminals typically don’t target well-protected big companies, being connected to the internet comes with risk, and farmers and related industries should be aware of vulnerability.
Cyber criminals attempt to trick people, especially vulnerable populations, to obtain data or money. They may send phishing scams, emails, texts or phone calls and pretend to be something else that encourages the recipient to click a link or share. Recently popular on social media are groups that post a photo of a missing person who “has dementia” or a missing child or pet but with almost no details. Sharing such posts can provide the scammer with access to the user’s social media and possibly more.
Antivirus software is a good start and catches a lot of threats, but it doesn’t provide enough protection, especially from human error.
“The average cost of a data breach is over $4 million,” said Stevens. “But 82% of data breaches involve human error, which means someone accidentally clicked on a link or fell for a scam – not because a super-smart hacker got into a computer and hacked the system.”
Another trick is an email that looks legitimate, perhaps from a bank. When the user clicks the link, they are asked to change their username and password. Also common are fake invoices, pop-ups on websites and “packages waiting in customs.”
In some cases, following the death of a male farmer, his female partner will receive email invoices that appear to have legitimately come from a co-op or implement dealer. “She sends a check, not knowing any better because her husband didn’t share financial information about the farm, and she has now given away her bank account information,” said Stevens. “We’ve seen widows lose tens of thousands of dollars this way.”
Farmers can protect themselves from cyber threats by developing a plan to be more secure. “Number one is to not click or share links,” she said. “Become security literate. If your bank offers a class on cybersecurity, learn about the new threats.”
Trust a bank where there’s an opportunity to interact with people, especially if it becomes necessary to determine whether a phone call was legitimate. Always have a high level of trust with those you do business with, preferably through face-to-face interactions with verifiable contacts.
Passwords are pesky but important for preventing security breaches. “The longer and stranger the password, the better,” said Stevens. “Don’t reuse passwords. If one system is hacked, a hacker can get information from other systems.”
There’s nothing wrong with writing down passwords if they aren’t stored on a computer. Password keepers are outside apps that generate and store passwords. “There’s continuity across devices,” said Stevens. “Passwords can be shared when you use a different device. Those are very secure in the cloud. The cloud isn’t infallible but if it were to be hacked, everyone’s data across the world has been hacked. Those who maintain servers work hard to keep the cloud secure.”
Multifactor authorization is becoming more common. After the user enters their password, they receive a message via email or text that contains a code. This measure adds more protection to personal information.
Control who has access to your data and system – provide access only to those who require it. Allowing open access to your computer can provide a gateway for introduction of malware. If financial information is properly backed up offsite, that information should be recoverable. Information can be backed up on the cloud, a thumb drive or in print.
For farmers who want to use more AI, Stevens urges them to develop an action plan. “Start small with tools that specifically target a problem on your farm where you can be more profitable,” she said. “Work with a company you trust. Not all AI tools are trustworthy or developed by those who have your best interest in mind.”
To maintain cybersecurity on the farm, look for vulnerabilities to determine where to strengthen passwords or create secure systems. “Think about a crisis management plan,” she said. “What would you do if you no longer had internet access and it might be some time before you have access to it? How would you continue doing business?”
Stevens said farmers can help ensure the ethical use of AI to protect food production systems.
“Assume you will have a cyber event,” said Stevens. “It isn’t if, it’s when. Think about who to call and how you will recover information.”
