Kansas

U.S. Senators Pat Roberts and Senator Ben Nelson, D-NE, recently introduced legislation to better protect the nation from terrorists and illegal drug traffickers by improving security at sites where agricultural chemicals are stored.

"It is critical that we think outside the box to continue to fight and win the war on terrorism," Senator Roberts said. "There is evidence that some of the 9/11 hijackers had training in agriculture. It is also no secret that highly hazardous and volatile chemicals are used in agriculture and should be secured from drug traffickers and terrorists."

The Agricultural Business Security Tax Credit Act of 2005 provides tax credits on the amount paid to implement security measures at agricultural facilities where pesticides and fertilizers are stored. Agriculture retailers, distributors, manufacturers, formulators and aerial applicators of agricultural pesticides or fertilizers are eligible for the credit.

Agribusinesses can receive up to $100,000 per facility in tax credits for expenditures including:

--Employee security training and background checks;

--Limitation and prevention of access to controls of specified agricultural chemicals;

--Protection of perimeters including lights, cameras and intrusion detection sensors;

--And computer network security.

"This tax credit will pass on savings to benefit not only the agribusiness, but the producer and eventually, the consumer," Senator Roberts said. "We can reward those businesses that take proactive steps to making our nation safer and at the same time ensure that America's food supply remains the safest and most affordable in the world."

Senator Roberts held the first hearing on the issue of agroterrorism in 1999 before the Senate Committee on Armed Service's Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities. He authored provisions to protect agriculture in the 2002 Bioterrorism Preparedness Bill. He is the Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and is a senior member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry.