Terrorism on American farms was not a major issue prior to September 11, 2001. Yes, there have always been cases of criminal activity on farm facilities, but it was hard to imagine someone would intentionally introduce a disease to animals and plants.  The buzzword now is “Agri-terrorism”, defined as a deliberate attempt to contaminate livestock or crops that could cause harm to people and have negative economic impact on agri-business.

Another security concern is the rising trend of anhydrous ammonia thefts.  As you may know, anhydrous ammonia is one of the ingredients in the manufacture of methamphetamine, an illegal drug with high street value.  According to the National Drug Intelligence Center, Methamphetamine production is spreading throughout Ohio, particularly from southwest to northeast.  This has resulted in a substantial increase in meth lab seizures from 7 in 1997 to 87 in 2001.

Securing the farm
Security is becoming a much larger issue and the concerns include:

-          Fertilizer and fuel (for bomb making and drug making)

-          Machinery (i.e. Ag spray planes, tractors and combines)

-     Pesticides (used to contaminate food, water, kill humans and animals)

-      Animals, feed and crops (which may be contaminated or infected by  
   bio-terrorists)

So what can be done to better secure your property?  Where are your most vulnerable points?  Here are a few things to evaluate:

Buildings – Keep them locked up when unoccupied, restrict keys and know who has them.  Other options include additional lighting, alarm systems and surveillance cameras. 

Equipment – Lock up machinery and restrict access to keys.  Avoid leaving keys in the ignition. Disable engine parts when storing equipment for long periods of time.  Hidden switches can also be installed to prevent theft.  Lock fuel storage tanks and grain bins.

Pesticide Storage – Keep an accurate inventory and make sure you visit storage areas during off-season periods. Know who is delivering and using pesticides on your property. Post storage areas and check for leaks.   For emergencies, use secondary containment to prevent spills and keep spill kits and personal protection equipment available.   Another prevention measure is to avoid stockpiling chemicals.  The more you have, the more interest for thieves. 

Good Record Keeping is key when dealing with an emergency.  In emergency situations, response time is very critical and having essential information ready helps save precious minutes.  Inventories of equipment and chemicals can be useful in case of theft.  In disaster situations (flood, fire, agri-terrorism event) inventory records become indispensable to emergency personnel. Records of who has keys to the buildings and equipment are also very important.  Make sure family members, emergency personnel, neighbors and employees know where the records are kept to access in case of any emergency.

Know your customers, employees and suppliers
Knowing key people can help prevent or minimize an emergency or criminal act on your property.  If you sell ag chemicals, get to know your customers and make sure they have the proper credentials to purchase chemicals.  Ask questions if something does not seem right. If suspicion is raised contact law enforcement. 

Both employees and suppliers play a crucial part in awareness of emergency or criminal activities.  Background checks on employees are becoming common for businesses. Checking references on a potential hire can also help you verify the potential employee’s information. 

Questions to ask concerning suppliers should include: Who is making deliveries and dropping off the supplies to the farm?  Who is treating the fields and what is their normal routine? If something looks suspicious, don’t hesitate to investigate further and contact law enforcement if necessary.

Good neighbors are always a plus to watch out for trespassers, thefts or any suspicious activity.  Finally, knowing your local emergency personnel and how they respond to emergencies is advantageous. Inviting fire and police authorities to evaluate your property can save precious minutes if a real emergency arises.  

Planning ahead 
A good emergency plan, in writing, can reap many benefits.  Emergency agencies spend months mapping out their plans to deal with all types of emergency scenarios.

 Some items to include in your plan are: 

-          A list of emergency numbers to call

-          Evacuation plan for all buildings (including diagrams)

-          Chemical inventory and where they are located

-          Utility locations and procedures for shutting them off

-          Employee procedures (who does what?)

-          Employees need to be trained on the emergency plan and it needs to be reviewed
     periodically

Terrorism or thievery
Can terrorism strike a farm by contaminating livestock or crops?  Yes, the potential certainly exists, but theft, fire, chemical spills, accidents and natural disaster incidents are more likely to occur.  Creating a plan and preparing for these incidents, including security and agri-terrorism, will lessen your losses and potentially save lives.     

John Bishop is a Health and Safety Specialist in the OSU College of Food Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.  He can be reached at 614-292-0677 or bishop.244@osu.edu.  This column is provided by the OSU Department of Food, Agricultural, and Biological Engineering.