The suspicious purchase of a large amount of ammonium nitrate earlier this month in Ontario (GM June 14, p. 10) was resolved without serious problems, but served as a reminder that Canada still needs to do more to help agricultural retailers upgrade all essential crop input security, according to the association representing these businesses across Canada. “The incident itself is a separate matter and fortunately ended up being a false alarm and non-threatening,” David McKay, president and CEO of the Canadian Association of Agri-Retailers (CAAR), told Green Markets. “But it serves to remind us that we need to have renewed vigilance as it relates to security for all crop inputs as opposed to just ammonium nitrate.”
McKay noted that agri-retailers who store these products and sell them to Canadian farmers have been imploring the government for three years to help them upgrade physical security at their sites to reduce the risk of malicious diversion. “The threat has not diminished and therefore we need to physically secure and protect all of the inputs that are critical to crop production in Canada. Notwithstanding the threat to the Canadian public, farmers and retailers can ill afford to lose these products to reactive over-regulation following a terrorist incident.”
McKay emphasized that regulation of potential explosives material such as ammonium nitrate in Canada under the Restricted Components Regulations of the Explosives Act is a very effective front-line deterrent against fraudulent purchases, but does not address the necessary precautions to physically secure all crop inputs that farmers need in a single comprehensive plan. “Ammonium nitrate is not the only high-risk agricultural product that must be protected, and common sense dictates that a terrorist won’t always walk through the front door to buy it; they instead will prefer to steal it, so we must be prepared for that tactic,” he warned.
CAAR has proposed an integrated crop input security protocol that would split the cost of upgrading security infrastructure at 1,500 agri-retail sites across Canada, at an estimated cost of $100 million overall. The plan would include installation of perimeter fencing, surveillance and alarm devices, lighting, locks, and software, as well as training staff in various security techniques.
Also commenting on the Ontario incident, Canadian Fertilizer Institute (CFI) officials said they, along with the Fertilizer Safety and Security Council, support current regulations managed by the explosives regulatory division of Natural Resources Canada. “It is important that the rules be clearly communicated and understood by all those involved,” said CFI. The restricted components regulations require that anyone selling ammonium nitrate fertilizer enroll with the explosives regulatory division as an authorized seller of ammonium nitrate; take security measures to protect ammonium nitrate supplies and all related documentation from theft and unauthorized access; request from customers proper identification and intent for purchasing; inform end users and transporters about how to protect ammonium nitrate from theft; provide the explosives regulatory division chief inspector of explosives with annual inventory reports; and report any suspicious activity to the appropriate authorities.
“Indications are that the current federal regulations and extensive industry security awareness programs are working,” said Dave Finlayson, executive director of the Fertilizer Safety and Security Council. “But, the prudent thing to do is to review the incident and see if there are ways we can improve the system.”