Iowa additive may qualify for Illinois grants

Springfield, Ill.-Iowa’s anti-meth additive may qualify in Illinois for a share of the $1.6 million in anhydrous ammonia security grants announced recently by Gov. Rod Blagojevich, according to state agriculture officials. While using calcium nitrate to thwart thieves looking for ingredients to make methamphetamine isn’t on the grant list, farmers and dealers are able to include it on their applications, which would be considered by the Illinois Agriculture Dept. Spokeswoman Chris Herbert indicated the intent of the grants was to upgrade anhydrous ammonia security with the likes of surveillance cameras, lighting, locking systems, and other such measures, but additives aren’t specifically excluded. “Actually, we were leaving it up to the farmers and input facilities to decide the approach they are taking. If they want to use one of the additives, they can put in on the application and it will be considered,” she added. Iowa officials gave the go-ahead to using calcium nitrate last month on a voluntary basis, and Illinois users probably would be in the same situation of having to locate their own supplier. Calcium nitrate isn’t expected to show up in nurse tanks in Iowa at least until after the fall application season is over. Herbert said Illinois will be announcing the first round of ammonia security grants in the next couple of weeks. She wasn’t able to say what the applicants are proposing, but nearly 40 are reported to have been received from the 21 west-central counties eligible because of the concentration of the ammonia thefts. Herbert said it’s only a pilot program so far, but could be expanded to every county. Meanwhile, agriculture interests are giving Iowa’s additive a cautious going-over. “The additive doesn’t have us as excited as it would have maybe five years ago when we had a huge problem,” Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Pres. Jean Payne told a Herald & Review reporter. “There’s still ammonia theft going on out there, but it seems to be dissipating.” Payne, who will be in Iowa later this month to learn more about the additive, noted that new state laws aimed at thwarting meth-makers by restricting the sale of over-the-counter cold medicines have reduced the number of anhydrous ammonia thefts.