The National Burglar and Fire Alarm Association (NBFAA) has formally endorsed new federal legislation from Midwestern Senators Pat Roberts (R-Kansas) and Ben Nelson (D-Nebraska).
Nelson and Roberts have introduced "The Agricultural Business Security Tax Credit Act of 2005," a piece of legislation specific to the agriculture industry that would provide tax credits for securing locations that store pesticides and fertilizers used in agricultural production.
The concept is in many ways similar to the NBFAA-endorsed Secure Americas Homes and Business Act, a piece of proposed legislation that seeks tax credits for adding security measures to residential and commercial properties.
The Agricultural Business Security Tax Credit Act would apply to those businesses affiliated with the sale, storage and/or application of agricultural pesticides in fertilizers. According to the NBFAA, this act could apply to retailers in the agriculture business, as well as product distributors, manufacturers, formulators and even those involved in the aerial application of these chemicals.
The basics of the bill is that sites which implement security measures could document those installations and apply for a tax credit that would be equivalent to 30 percent of the total amount spent on securing those sites. That tax credit could extend up to $100,000 according to the proposed legislation.
Included security improvements can vary from employee background checks to access control systems, perimeter security, intrusion detection and even to computer network security.
The NBFAA's Executive Director Merlin Guilbeau said that the bill's goals were in line with his organization's, and he called the legislation "one way to help businesses take the necessary steps to keep the materials in the right hands and to ensure the safety and security of the nation’s food supply."
The bill was introduced on Nov. 18, 2005, to the Senate, and was similarly introduced previously in the House by Rep. Jon Lewis of Kentucky on the behalf of a number of other Southern representatives, in February 2005. According to the Library of Congress, the House bill currently has been put forth to the House Committee on Ways and Means. The Senate version has been referred to the Senate Committee on Finance.
