Fertilizer AN disappearing

[knowledgehungry]

I had a few websites bookmarked that sold big bags of AN for fertilizer such purposes, But they have all discontinued selling it. Has anyone else been experiencing the same thing?

[Arthis]

In Agricultural stores here, you can still buy some 5kg bags...
You may be unlucky. Due to its common use, I don't think it will ever be forbidden (close future at least)

[DBSP]

Here in sweden they have stopped selling the fertilizer called N28 which is AN with a Mg/Ca carbonate additive. I send my mother to get a bag this spring, they only had one bag left when she came there and when they where to check the price they couldn't find it in their database, so the man behind the counter made a call and found out that they wheren't allowed to sell it anymore. He sold it anyway, which I am forever thankfull for.

So I have at least got the new 50kg bag + the 30kg I had left of my old bag, this means I will have to be more carefull not to spend to much.

Ca(NO3)2 is still availible though, and I know a farmer who uses it alot so I can get how much of that I want but it's not AN. I've been thinging of mixing CaN and AN to make the AN last a bit longer.:)

[knowledgehungry]

Where exactly is here the US?

[DBSP]

Why don't you have a look at my profile, you know the thing that tells you when people registered post count etc.

I don't know if you now can see a thing called: location, if you can I suggest that you read the line after "location:" it there says: [sweden] how more obvious can it get???


I don't know the reason to why they stopped selling N28 btw.


EDIT: reply to post below: sorry for being a bit bitchy, I hadn't got very much sleep and I had a bad hangover. Wasn't in the best mood at the time.

[knowledgehungry]

I wasnt talking to you... not only did you say it in your post you also have it in your profile, ARTHIS on the other hand does not, that is to whom i was asking the question, I'm sorry next ime i'll be more specific. Still no need to get pissy.

[Arthis]

Sorry, I never put the location, but as I just had told it in a recent post, I forgot to mention. This was modified.
--> France
(hope this is not a cause of banning ) ;)

[PlayDough]

I don't remember who it was around here that said they had never seen AN sold in an agro-supply store, and they had never been in one, but I wouldn't worry about the supply drying up any time soon.

Ammonium Nitrate 50lb sacks, $18 US
Potassium Nitrate 50lb sacks, $26 US

Credit Cards accepted, ships by UPS. Looks good, have fun.

http://tinyurl.com/ydftoe

++++++++

50 pounds, shipped at UPS shipping rates? :eek: NBK

[atlas#11]

Call me paranoid, but I wouldn't use a credit card to purchase AN unless I owned a farm business of some sort. I recomend cash and a false name if at all possible. I don't think I would ever order Ammonium nitrate from a website, If I need it in large ammounts, I'll hunt down an agro supplier that doesn't require ID and give him a fake name. Other than that, I'm comfortable with wearing baggy pants to the *insert chain store name here*-mart and coming back with around 300 grams of fairly pure AN and a neat little plastic pouch of water to throw at the neighbors house.

As for AN dissapearing, not going to happen, far too cheap and effective to be banned. More than likely it will just get harder for us to get. I have heard that a few agro places around here require a valid drivers liscense for purchasing, though I have never attempted to buy AN in this manner.

[Cobalt.45]

Call me paranoid, but I wouldn't use a credit card to purchase AN unless I owned a farm business of some sort.
You're paranoid, but only a little.

By the very nature of it's abundance, tracking individual purchases of a bag would be tedious.

Its dependant on what it's used for.

Now, if you use the AN in a criminal fashion, you will be in for whatever "they" choose to throw at you.

But that would happen if you used black powder, acetone peroxide, ammonium nitrate, or whatever.

Only if you commit a crime that's serious enough for authorities to build a case against you, will the purchase of AN be an issue, IMHO.

And if that's your intent, of course you would try to cover the purchase.

But try as they may, McVeigh and Nichols sure got tied to the purchase of their AN.

Incedentally, I was at the local Home Depot, and their 34-0-0 fertilizer was composed of urea. Diluted down from the usual 46-0-0. Got to read the label closely to see this change.

[rayman]

It is also hard to find in the area i am in, you need to be a registered farm If i remember correct to order AN, the gov put out pamplets several years ago that if i recall correct when somthing like this : An can be used to make bombs and drugs, do not sell it to any one that you persoanly do not know, do not give it away to any one you do not know, place in a a secure area, keep track of who you sell it to : blah blah blah ............ and I live in canada

[lucas]

In January 2006, a bill was passed requiring licencing of persons using "security sensitive ammonium nitrate" containing at least 45% ammonium nitrate. All persons requiring it need to obtain a lience and provide secure storage. The licence requires a police check and an ASIO PMV (politically motivated violence) check. Permits are required to import into the state, including from other states. A licence is needed to transport the material too in some cases. Few exceptions apply. One is the use for research, only if the mass stored is less than 3kg.

A 6 month grace was given to allow users time to comply, but this has expired.

The bill is called (here anyway) The explosives (security sensitive ammonium nitrate) Act 2006

It isn't part of The Explosives Act 1936

This bill was the result of a COAG agreement between all states to enact legislation in all states.

http://www.safework.sa.gov.au/show_page.jsp?id=4199

[tmp]

I wouldn't worry about AN disappearing. Like what's already been said - it
has too many uses. Unless you're planning on a huge ANFO charge, smaller
amounts can be had or made. I've gotten AN from instant cold packs. I paid
something like $1.37 for a pack and obtained almost 4 oz of AN. Fairly cheap
and no bullshit paper trails if you're not using a credit card. Other than that,
at least here in the U.S., ammonium sulfate and calcium nitrate are generally
available in local agricultural supply stores in 4 or 5 LB bags. Those 2 mixed
in hot water precipitate CaSO4. This leaves the AN in solution which can be
dried out. Just one thing to watch out for. The Ca(NO3)2 is usually coated
in wax - probably for time release. I put it in some filtering material and pour
ICE water over it. It leaves the wax behind in the filter.

[Jacks Complete]

Found this: http://www.merseyside.police.uk/html/crimeprevention/ctsa/fertiliser.htm

Lock up your fertiliser!

[c.Tech]

Probably the most farmers will do is store them in a shed with a lock on it. Easily cut the lock or chain to get to the goodies inside, leave the framers a bit of cash to buy more and a note saying sorry for the inconvenience. :)

[DONMAN]

Just get it from instant Ice packs if they stop selling it as fertilizer. It is what I do.

[Cindor]

Pay attention: some Cold Packs have Urea instead of Ammonium Nitrate.

[c.Tech]

I think in one of the ANFO threads there was a lot of discussion on what was in the AN. Sometimes they were coated in other chemicals, sometimes they contained 20% limestone and other times they were just urea like Cindor said.

[DONMAN]

My ice packs say warnign contians ammonia nitrate. Judging from the results I get, it's fairly pure.

[Alexires]

There is always the double displacement reaction between ammonium sulphate and calcium nitrate as tmp said.

I've heard there is a little problem with the calcium sulphate forming a kind of gel that makes it difficult to extract, but a little vacuum filtration should take care of that, or just make a lot and wait for it to sediment.

Otherwise, just buy a couple of different brands of ice pack, find out whats in them and only use that brand till it changes.

[c.Tech]

That gel (more of a slush) forming from the calcium sulfate goes away after a while, when first mixed the slush takes up the whole jar or whatever its in, later the water moves to the top and the calcium sulfate cakes to the bottom.

After the water on the top is filtered the calcium sulfate can be discarded or washed to get the last of the AN from it.

I also noticed that the calcium sulfate leeches water on the top for quite a while after, I will assume up to 16 hours later, that’s why if you need to make your AN quickly a wash would give you the highest yields.

The only bitch about this way is evaporating the water after.

[Alexires]

Yeah, that is a bitch.

If your going to be doing a lot of it though, you might want to think about vacuum distillation allowing a lot more water to be boiled off over the same period of time.

Otherwise you might be able to evaporate most of the water off and then drop the temperature to have the NH4NO3 precipitate. But at 0*C 119g of ammonium nitrate dissolves into 100ml of water so that probably wont work too well.

Probably worth just boiling all the water off.

[Olib]

Unfortunatly I am.

I haven´t been able to buy pure AN fertilizer after a some guy thought it would be a good idea to "blow up" 12 kilos of ANFO somewhere in the country.
Long story short he underestimated the power and got himself killed.
Now there requiers hard work if one wishes to buy pure AN.
Not impossible but just hard enough to make me focus on something else.

[c.Tech]

Oilb, what country are you from? If it was after 9/11 the ban was probably fueled by everyone’s misguided fear of terror.

[Cindor]

I think it was because some guy thought it would be a good idea to "blow up" 12 kilos of ANFO somewhere in the country.

[Olib]

Btw. I´m from Iceland. The government hadn´t even heard of "Fertilizer explosives" before that incident.I was so ticked off when i heard they were only going to sell mixed fertilizers.I can still use the AN in ice packs but that´s rather more for small ANNM charges but not big ANFO charges so I haven´t had much experience with ANFO unfortunately.But there is one big plus about living here that is the nitric acid It´s very easy to buy large quantities so rather than playing with ANFO I play with RDX.:D

[c.Tech]

I think it was because

A bill is pushed through discussing a number of reasons, if it were in a western state that’s scared of terrorists (America, Australia, UK) terrorism would most likely pay a large part in passing the bill.

[Cindor]

In my country (Argentina), at least where I live, is a pain in the ass to get some AN, and that's because we have two (bigs) attacks with bombs in the 90's, and one was attempted with Amonal/ANFO mixture.

[atlas#11]

I have only encountered urea in one instant cold pack, It said it on the lable, and I didn't have any urea so I bought it anyways. Ace brand instant cold packs have always contained roughly 160 grams of AN, its usualy brownish in color but it performs decently in most of my reactions. I have never had any need for a better source, keep your experiments small and you'll not only be safer, but you won't have to worry about chemical bans and such.

Granted I would love to set off 50gal barrels of anfo on a daily basis, but I can't afford to buy that much AN, nor would I want to be caught with it.

[Matt_Ladder]

I have a local supplier here, nice guy too :)

[tnerd]

I have a local supplier here, nice guy too :)

I can not find anyone in US who sells it in 50lb bags or bulk. Anyone?

[Jacks Complete]

Care should be taken if you are solicited to buy or sell anything energetic via this forum. Members are not vetted for anything other than being sentient and capable of asking and answering a question properly.

[Frunk]

I didn't think I could find some AN here in Canada given that our government is much more pussified and less gun-ho than yours. If your friendly neighborhood agricultural store doesn't have 50 pound bags of AN and KNO3, you might want to check out the Hydroponics shop.

An hydroponic shop is like a gardenign shop, except the major clients and the owners are often some shady people that grow the green illegal plants that cause children to forfeit their lives . These shops generally have a don't ask don't tell policy, but when they sell some ''MEGA BUD or RESIN+ Fertilizer'' and some ''Leaf Trimmers 2000'', you know they aren't into growing hydroponic tomatoes. Therefore, they have no problems with selling you some watched dangerous chemicals from hell. (Parts in bold brought to you by the RCMP's Department of Propaganda.)

Anyways, there's nothing like watching a stoned guy try to sell you a bag of AN. If you're concerned about anonimity, don't worry, if the owner forgets where the cash register is he won't hold on to your name for long.

[inventorgp]

(Aust)Yes, naming ammonium nitrate... SSAN ect. is the one of the dumbest things ever. ASIO check what!?!?, and a need for a licence, that is over the top. Whats funny is that in the anti-terror ads here, (the fertilizer is not depicted as AN) the bags in the truck looked to be blood 'n' bone. Sheeple are so stupid, they see someone buy any fertilizer and the get suspicious.

Oh no... terrorist, run before he tries to blow us up with instant ice packs!!!!! aaaahhhhh. *end of joke*
What, are they going to ban cold packs as well? Oh and I pay Au$5 for cold pack with 100ish grams in it.

[fiknet]

Yes the SSAN thing has annoyed me greatly, farmers are very annoyed at waiting around 3 months for the ASIO clearance and I can't buy a bag of AN for experiments or if I want to safely go to a remote location and do an nice big ANxx ( who doesn't enjoy a nice explosion ) yet I doubt this will stop terrorists.

I see trucks carrying around 20 tons of pure AN all the time in suburban areas and on lonely country roads ,mining explosive are easily stolen/gained, my mum's boyfriend tells me of how he gets sticks of powergel, detonators and fuse all the time and awhile ago 420kg was stolen from a train. And like inventorgp said people buying fertilizer are now given a hard time...

Taken from Incitec Pivots guidelines:

Irrespective of the outcome of this review, those of us involved in the distribution and sale of fertilisers need to be aware that politically motivated terrorists, denied access to SSAN products, may turn to other less effective alternatives. We need to do whatever we can to prevent such unauthorised use.

In the interests of Australia’s domestic security, potassium nitrate and calcium nitrate should only be sold to farmers.

These fertilisers should not be sold to home gardeners or anyone who does not have an account and is not known to the reseller. Establish the credentials of all new customers before supply. Maintain records of who has been supplied with these products and the quantities involved. Be on the watch for cash customers who are seeking to purchase one or two bags of any of these products. Refuse supply, and report suspicious inquiries to the police or on the National Terrorism Hotline (1800 123 400).

Theft of product either in transit or storage that may be misused for the preparation of explosives should also be reported to the police.

Suspicious inquiries for non-SSAN fertilisers, e.g. N-Sure or blends containing Cal-Am at concentrations up to 55%, may also be a signal that the purchaser does not intend to use the product as a fertiliser. These too should be reported.


Note to forumers, stay away from Incitec Pivot...

Also saddening is that there is worse to come with the chemical security review discussion coming to a close in late march and the drafting of the new laws beginning.

I am 90% betting on exact same measures for AN will be implemented for KNO3, NaNO3 and Ca(NO3)2, for HNO3 I predict that only laboratories will have access to it or if it is essential to your business/industry, for Nitromethane as it is used heavily in the racing community I predict that you will need to have a racing license to prove you are in the need for it and hobby shops will stop stocking the pure version, for H2O2 I'm pretty sure they will just pull any concentrations over 10% and finally for H2SO4 I’m not too sure, perhaps you will need to be a laboratory to buy from a chem supply and once again need to prove that it is essential to your business/industry I just hope it won't come down to something like the recording of drivers license and details if you want to buy a battery.

However as one door closes another one opens, perhaps we will now venture into interesting and exciting chemistry adventures of procuring these impossible chemicals which were once easily accessible.

[c.Tech]

I just hope it won't come down to something like the recording of drivers license and details if you want to buy a battery.

In the future it is looking like its coming down to every purchace we make will be paid by our fingerprint and drivers licence (or worse, national ID card), not only every chem we buy but every pen, car part, food product or sharp object will be put onto a central database.

It the way the world is heading now, all countries will end up with this type of system, luckily for Aust it doesn’t look to close to happening yet.

[festergrump]

I don't know about you, C.Tech, but I think when it comes down to that-- I'll either Make, Fake, or Take what I need... and I know I won't be the only one doing so.

[Alexires]

Well, they are looking at a national ID card scheme for Aus. I have no doubt that it will be implemented by either Labour or Liberal.

Doesn't matter who is in power, they will both do it for the good of the 'children'.

Of course, the other option is to involve yourself in a business that gives you access to all the materials you need (like photography of relic/rebuilt cars).

An excuse like that would give you access Mg, H2O2, H2SO4, HNO3, various paint strippers, radiator fluid, brake fluid. Have a pool as well, letting you get that aspect of things.

There are many ways to get what we want, if we want it badly enough. Take it, make it or fake it. I like that festergrump, very catchy *grin*.

[shady mutha]

The days of buying 50KG of nitram are over is this country, but everything needed for this hobby can still be obtained, just in smaller amounts.

I can still get KNO3, AN, CN, H202, HNO3, H2SO4, any day of the week.

The bans and what not is to deter all new comers to the hobby. Just think if people out there cant even get the chemicals for the simplest of experiments its likely that they will just give up, and in 10 or 20 years time there will hopefully from the Goverments view no one who can even make black powder, then they will finally have full control.

I remember when I first got started in the trade, I first came across the dreaded 'crapbooks', read them and just wondered if any of it was true. Then I found the 'Makeshirt Arsenal'... When I saw how easy it was to make AP I thought what the hell lets give it a go. To be honest, to my amazement crystals formed and a love was born...Now many years later and wizer and after learning what I could from the forum and after reading the books, like drugs, guns, crime and everything else the goverment likes to control, there will always be ways to beat the system, its up to the individual to find them. GOOD LUCK.

[Bonus]

In the future it is looking like its coming down to every purchace we make will be paid by our fingerprint and drivers licence (or worse, national ID card), not only every chem we buy but every pen, car part, food product or sharp object will be put onto a central database.

Ahhh, reminds me of, "Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name." Revelation 13: 16-18

:rolleyes:

[Dombum]

Yesterday i bought a 50 kg package of limeammonsalpeter.But then i saw that there is some Mgo inside.Is there any problem with that stuff when you filter the An out and want to set of some ANNM or ANFO?

[Shalashaska]

http://www.cpr-savers.com/consumer/cons7.html

100 packs for $70+shipping
Not the best choice pricewise, but I doubt you'd get an eyebrow raised.

[fiknet]

Solubility 0.00062 g in 100 g water

I would say no.

[tnerd]

5, 10, 25 lb bags of pure 34-0-0-ammonium nitrate, are sold every day
on Ebay. Sent USPS and UPS. No restrictions but the price.

[ztrain727]

I currently can obtain ~ pure AN from cold packs at $1 per large pack, which isn't bad, but still FAR more expensive than fertilizer AN. I'm impressed with this site: http://www.agsupply.com/show_cat.php?sub=41 (Thanks whoever posted this link).

As for buying from a local supplier, I've researched brands (Nitram, Nitrate of Chalk, ~NPK, etc.) and am looking for suppliers. I'll check phone book and checked google local without success. anyway, how would you guys go about buying AN...I was thinking about saying its for my garden/ fruit trees (which don't exist). Anyone know a good source for east coast US of AN? Thanks!

tnerd...The eBay stuff is good but very overpriced. I'm still not sure how it compares to the price of using instant cold packs though. 10lbs of AN 34-0-0 is ~$34 on eBay. Compared to ~100g (I'm not sure but I think cold packs usually have ~100 g right...I should go test :D) per cold pack at $1 per pack at Dicks. At 4535 g per 10lbs it would be about $45 for 10lbs from ice packs so eBay is cheaper, but probably lower quality and some cold packs may have more than 100g...so still questionable.

Heres a little APAN/ANFO video I made...this is cold pack unactivated AN I believe: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93gg0YN9okk

[Zer4tul]

For H2O2 I'm pretty sure they will just pull any concentrations over 10% and finally for H2SO4 I’m not too sure, perhaps you will need to be a laboratory to buy from a chem supply and once again need to prove that it is essential to your business/industry I just hope it won't come down to something like the recording of drivers license and details if you want to buy a battery.

However as one door closes another one opens, perhaps we will now venture into interesting and exciting chemistry adventures of procuring these impossible chemicals which were once easily accessible.

If they do ban H202 in higher concentrations over 10%, Some of us organic peroxide users might have to make use of that 1ml of H202 in the small glass vial inside glow-sticks. :rolleyes:

[Frunk]

If they do ban H202 in higher concentrations over 10%, Some of us organic peroxide users might have to make use of that 1ml of H202 in the small glass vial inside glow-sticks. :rolleyes:

You can make organic peroxides from 9% H202 and the yields are going to be more than sufficient for blasting caps.

[209]

You can make organic peroxides from 9% H202 and the yields are going to be more than sufficient for blasting caps.

True. However I boil my H202 down before I make AP or HMTD. I find that there is little difference in performance and stability between them. You can make larger amounts with concentrated H202. But, you can also make it much much faster.

I find that AP makes better use of the H202 than HMTD. When I make AP I dont even bother to take the flask out of the ice bath. Just leave it in there and when you have sufficient amounts, filter it out.

Though AP and HMTD are both great easy to make and use primaries they still give me the creeps. TNP (picric acid) I like much more for blasting caps because its not nearly as sensitive (well, of course it still is, but its safer). If your making AP and not treating it with respect (you should see me handle AP:D I treat it like it will blow up if I swear at it) Its like playing Russian Rulette with 6 rounds instead of one.

I haven't ever bought AN or KN03 as fertalizer. The hydroponics store is 2 hours away. I still buy my KN03 as stump remover (sold in 2 pound containers at the hardware) And my AN in instant cold packs. The cold packs always say "contains Ammonium nitrate and water" The AN from cold packs works great.

[fiknet]

This would be better suited to the thread in the water cooler but that sections currently closed.

I was browsing google and I found what looks like could be an update on the Australian fertiliser regulation situation with Potassium Nitrate and Calcium, here is a major industries recommendations.

6. Risk Analysis
6.1. Risk Analysis – Calcium Nitrate Fertilizer
Calcium Nitrate Fertilizers can be produced with varied water of crystallization content.
Products produced by suppliers such as Yara International and ADP contain 15-16 %
water of crystallization. This water content substantially reduces the oxidizing power of the
material. This reduction and the fact that Calcium Nitrate is strongly hygroscopic
significantly reduce the ease of using the material to make explosives.
Due to the reduced oxidizing power of calcium nitrate products with 15-16% water of
crystallization these products are not classified as dangerous goods. This is contrary to
other Calcium Nitrate products, which are normally classified as Class 5.1: Oxidizers. The
exemption from 5.1 classification for these products was agreed upon more than 20 years
ago as a result of extensive testing and its unique composition of hydrated double salt and
pure Calcium Nitrate.





Calcium Nitrate is added to explosives used by the mining industry. However this is done
to increase the shelf life and manufacturing temperature of the explosive material and not
to enhance the blast.
It may be possible by reprocessing the material in a well equipped laboratory or a small
plant, to use non class 5.1 Calcium Nitrate to make crystalline ammonium nitrate or water
free calcium nitrate powder/crystals. However to do so is a complex task that requires
significant process equipment and educated personnel. To FIFA’s knowledge this has not
been done by terrorist or criminal groups to date.
One of the major manufacturers of Calcium Nitrate, Yara International, have tested their
product in company research facilities and have not been able to manufacture any
detonable formulations based on its Calcium Nitrate and other common ingredients often
used in explosives.
There are no records of accidents or of criminal acts caused by the chemical properties of
Calcium Nitrate. FIFA is not aware of any incidents where Calcium Nitrate has been used
as raw material for illegal bomb making.


6.2. Risk Analysis – Potassium Nitrate Fertilizer
Potassium Nitrate consists of stable inorganic salts which are non flammable in nature and
have high decomposition temperatures (above 400
o
C compared with ammonium nitrate
which begins to decompose at 210
o
C). It dissolves very easily in water. These properties
make potassium nitrate safe and easy for use as both a solid fertilizer and in solutions for
fertigation.
Potassium Nitrate is defined as a weak oxidiser. This means it is not able to initiate a fire;
however it will enhance the combustion of an existing fire.
Potassium Nitrate is non-detonable. Mixtures of potassium nitrate with fuel oil or other
carbon fuels are also non-detonable. This means it cannot be misused in mixtures such as
ANFO.
However, due to its oxidising properties, potassium nitrate can be used together with other
materials to produce “black powder” (low order explosive) firework pyrotechnics and
smoke devices. The US National Academy of Sciences investigated the threat of “black
powder” in terrorist events and concluded that the feasibility of its use by criminals or
terrorists is limited to the filling of small containers such as pipes, tubes or bottles and that
it is not suitable for large scale bombings.
The production of a large scale bomb from potassium nitrate is not a simple task and
requires well equipped infrastructure that is difficult to operate secretly.




7. Discussion & Recommendations
It is clear that both Potassium Nitrate and Calcium Nitrate are valuable products for
Australian agriculture. They have significant yield and quality effects on a range of crops,
primarily in the high value horticulture sector. Alternative products with similar agronomic
benefits are not currently available. The characteristics of the products that make them
efficient fertilizers also results in reduced environmental risk.
The two products have different risk profiles with regard to misuse as explosive
precursors, however both represent a significantly lower risk than the products currently
classified as SSAN.
It is clear there is a very low risk that Calcium Nitrate fertilizer could be misused by
terrorists or criminals to manufacture explosives. With regard to Potassium Nitrate the risk
of misuse is higher. However it is likely that any misuse of this fertilizer by criminals or
terrorists to manufacture explosives, would be limited to small scale explosive devices in
pipes, tubes or bottles. So although the risk of misuse is higher, Potassium Nitrate is still
considered unsuitable for large scale bombings.
Experience with SSAN products has shown that the level of control applied under the
licensing regime will result in significant reduction in use and availability of the products.
The perceived complexity and cost of the system by farmers and suppliers has been
exacerbated by problems and delays with implementation.
If the Australian authorities apply the SSAN licensing system to Calcium Nitrate and
Potassium Nitrate, the access to these fertilizers by Australian horticultural farmers will be
restricted. It is estimated that in excess of 6,000 Australian farmers would potentially be
directly affected. In addition to this number, a further 8,400 people employed in the
Hydroponic growing industry would also be effected.
The economic effects of reducing the use of these products are significant with the current
added value ascribed to the products being in the order of 1 billion dollars in general
horticulture and 600 million dollars in hydroponics.
The regulation of Calcium Nitrate and Potassium Nitrate fertilizers in the same way as
SSAN products may well set a precedence for other government authorities world wide.
An estimated 3.5 million farmers worldwide would be affected by implementation of
restrictions on Calcium Nitrate and 3.25 million by implementation of restrictions on
potassium nitrate.
In conclusion, given the agronomic and economic benefits of these products and the low
relative risk compared to SSAN products, it is the recommendation of the Fertilizer
Industry Federation of Australia (FIFA) that these products should not be regulated in the
same way as SSAN fertilizers.



So my summary is that it looks like they don't want a repeat of SSAN but I think they want to have the regulation be that these fertilisers are monitored by the individual retailers and suspcious purchases be reported. So it looks like it may be just hit and miss depending on how strict the supplier you choose is and their attitude towards you.

[Alexires]

Nice post Fiknet! Your dedication should be applauded in plowing through possible amounts of bullshit.

Thank god for that decision. Of course, it doesn't mean the JBT will not restict it anyway (fuck the farmers and all that) but at least it is some reassurance.

You just have to wonder, how stupid are these testers? So many holes in their argument, although it isn't up to me to point it out, you should be able to see them all.