Whether they in turn would be able
to pass those costs along to their cus- tomers is another question. Sutton, president of Growers Fer-
tilizer Corporation, says more than half of the fertilizer he sells to citrus farmers has higher than 30 percent concentration of ammonium nitrate. He would probably have to hire more people to keep up with paperwork and more drivers during deliveries. “If we had to do that, we’d have to
pass the cost on to our customers, our citrus growers,” Sutton says. Richard Gupton, vice president of public policy at the Agricultural Retailers Associa- tion, worries some suppliers might stop selling ammonium nitrate, forc- ing farmers to spend more on expen- sive, less eff ective fertilizers. Dealers or buyers whose paperwork
isn’t in order would be subject to fi nes. Farmers’ groups say they doubt the
product they use to fertilize their fi elds is such a threat. “With mixed fertiliz- ers, the potential for them being used in an explosive is very, very minimal,” says Leslie Kaufman, president of the Kansas Cooperative Council. The Kansas Cooperative Council
and the Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association say the program would “severely limit” small, unregistered farmers from growing successful crops. It could take up to three days for the government to approve an applica- tion to use ammonium nitrate, and when farmers are ready to fertilize they need to do it right away before the weather changes. Some farmers groups, such as the National Coun- cil of Farmer Cooperatives, want to reduce the waiting time to one day. Many farmers groups and agri-
cultural retailers have already taken steps to keep ammonium nitrate safe. The Fertilizer Institute developed an awareness program to ensure the chemical does not fall into the wrong hands. Also, the Agricultural Retailers Association asked its members to vol-
MAY 2013 | NEWSMAX 17
untarily assess how they could mini- mize risks and threats. But DHS, acting at the instructions
of Congress, wants to do more. DHS, which did not respond to a Newsmax request for comment, has conducted a series of meetings with interested par- ties to gather their comments on the proposed new rules.
All of which leaves the agricultural
industry and farmers worrying about earning a living. Victor Story, a Florida citrus farm-
er, says: “Certainly, growers would support this kind of regulation for the sake of our population. But let’s be realistic about what’s eff ective, and what’s overkill.”
When Fertilizer Becomes Deadly I
n the wrong hands — or even in the event of an accident — ammonium
nitrate can have devastating consequences. In fact, in 1947 it contributed to the deadliest industrial mishap in U.S. history. It happened when
a fire sparked an explosion aboard a ship carrying about 2,300 tons of ammonium nitrate in the port town of Texas City. That blast, which enveloped a second ship carrying another 900 tons of the chemical, was so powerful it shattered windows 25 miles away. The ensuing fireball claimed the lives of more than 580 people, with thousands more injured. Timothy McVeigh also proved how
claimed the lives of 168 people. Another indication of the potential threat: More than 60 percent of U.S. combat casualties in Afghanistan are caused by IEDs, and bomb experts say 62 percent of those bombs are made with ammonium nitrate-based fertilizers. Agricultural groups
OKLAHOMA CITY
say the fertilizer they use is not particularly dangerous, however. Much of it is blended or mixed in relatively low concentrations. Also, many retailers have begun selling mixed fertilizers in bulk, rather than selling
straight 50-pound bags of ammonium nitrate — which is what McVeigh used in Oklahoma City. Federal of icials aren’t taking any
dangerous the chemical can be. He used 5,000 pounds of ammonium nitrate mixed with racing fuel to bomb the federal building in Oklahoma City in 1995. His brutal attack
chances, however. They want to be able to track anyone who buys or sells a significant amount of ammonium nitrate. And once the new rules take eff ect, they will. — D.F.
TEXAS TRAGEDY An explosion creates havoc aboard a ship carrying more than 2,000 lbs. of ammonium nitrate in Texas City in 1947.
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