Soaring meat and wool prices have made sheep farmers like Rebecca and James Hamilton especially vulnerable to theft.

Key points: Victorian farmers had $6 million worth of stock and property stolen from them last year

Victorian farmers had $6 million worth of stock and property stolen from them last year The state had 264 cases of livestock theft between January and September 2018

The state had 264 cases of livestock theft between January and September 2018 Police say the true level of theft is likely to be higher due to under-reporting

Ms Hamilton said animals had been stolen from their property near Bendigo six times over the past decade.

"To me they're scum," she told 7.30.

"This is our home, our whole property is our home, and it's a violation of where we live and what we do and it is soul-destroying, it's disappointing.

"It is organised crime, it is strategic and it's people who know what they're doing."

Mr Hamilton said it had forced them to increase security around their property.

He said they installed padlocks, "but they only go so far".

"They keep the honest people out," Mr Hamilton said.

"And then strategically placing video cameras, which can work at night and have sensors for movement.

"Other than that it's just having people. Having a presence is still the most effective way of deterring theft of any sort."

Farm theft often unreported

Police say security systems on farms are often outdated. ( ABC News: Lauren Day )

It is hard to get a national picture of farm theft, but in 2017 it cost New South Wales farmers more than $2.5 million.

Victorian farmers had stock and property worth up to $6 million stolen from them last year.

Data from the Victorian Crime Statistics Agency showed there were 264 cases of livestock theft in the year to September 2018, a 50 per cent increase in three years, but only 10 arrests were made.

Police say the true extent of rural theft is likely to be much worse given it often goes unreported.

Detective Inspector Cameron Whiteside, who heads up the new Rural Crime Prevention Team in NSW, said part of his job was teaching farmers how to better protect their properties.

"What I do is encourage farmers to step outside their fence for five minutes and think through the eyes of a crook," he told 7.30.

"And just think to yourself: 'If I was an offender what would I steal from this property? How would I do it, and what time of day or night would I do it?'"

Farmers call for subsidies to boost security

The National Farmers Federation wants to see more police in rural areas investigating and preventing crime. ( ABC News: Lauren Day )

For biosecurity reasons, all sheep in Victoria must be tagged, and Ms Hamilton thinks the Government should subsidise an upgrade of the technology to allow GPS tracking of stock.

"I don't believe in subsidies, but on this issue I think it would be very relevant because at this stage, those devices are outside the realm of what farmers can afford on an individual basis," she said.

National Farmers Federation president Fiona Simson wants to see more police in rural areas investigating and preventing crime.

Failing that, she agrees the Government should consider subsidies for crime prevention technologies for farmers.

"If as a community we can't resource more officers being stationed in rural and regional communities, then perhaps the alternative is to offer a rebate to landholders in those communities to install CCTV footage," she told 7.30.

"It might be more cost-effective for the community with a very similar result."

7.30 has contacted the Agriculture Minister for comment.