Iowa State Issued Farm Technology Risk Resources
Agricultural producers can now access a four-part series to mitigate digital and electrical vulnerabilities.
Updated on Oct. 3, 2026 in Agriculture
Live Poll
Is now a good time to evaluate your farm's vulnerability to power and internet outages?
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach has released a four-part resource series titled Managing Your Farm's Technology Systems Risk. The materials provide guidance for producers to identify and address vulnerabilities in their digital and electrical infrastructure.
Why it matters
Modern farming operations rely heavily on consistent internet access and stable power, leaving them exposed to outages or cyberattacks. These tools were released during National Preparedness Month to encourage farmers to formalize their emergency planning.
The new series consists of four parts designed to help agricultural producers address technological vulnerabilities across their systems. The resources focus on the reliance modern farms have on electricity and digital tools.
The players
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
A land-grant university division that provides research-based education and technical resources to the agricultural and business community.
The details
The series provides instructional materials disseminated via the Ag Decision Maker platform to help producers assess potential threats to their daily operations. By walking through these resources, operators can evaluate their exposure to electrical grid outages, severe weather, and digital security threats. This framework allows producers to build an emergency plan tailored to the specific connectivity and power requirements of their individual farm setup.
Timeline
September marked the National Preparedness Month observance.
The resource series was released on October 3, 2026.
Market Landscape
The release aligns with National Preparedness Month to help farmers address infrastructure risks that are increasingly vulnerable to external digital threats. This reflects a broader trend among state agricultural extensions to shift focus toward securing the digital operational backbone of modern farms.
Operators should use this four-part guide to audit their current electrical and internet failover redundancies. Prioritize assessing the impact of a total power or network failure on your most time-sensitive daily operations.
The takeaway
Farm technology integration now requires a formal risk management protocol similar to traditional crop or financial planning. Assess your current dependency on digital tools and establish offline contingencies for key operational systems.
Further reading
Find more guidance on industry shifts in our Agriculture section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Yankton Press & Dakotan.
Live Poll
Is now a good time to evaluate your farm's vulnerability to power and internet outages?
