Bill provides for carrying of weapons for agricultural tax auditors

Bill 4631/2025, which provides for the granting of gun licenses to federal agricultural inspectors and agricultural inspection technicians, has been filed in the Chamber of Deputies. The initiative was introduced by Federal Representative Messias Donato (Republicans-ES) and co-authored by 15 other members of parliament from different parties and states.

According to the National Union of Federal Agricultural Auditors (Anffa Sindical), the proposal represents a step forward for the safety of these employees, who work in strategic locations for national agricultural protection. Currently, there is no legal provision for the category's functional status, which, according to the organization, "creates a gap that compromises both the safety and effectiveness of their duties."

Auditors and technicians are responsible for the health control of animals, plants, agricultural inputs, and products, activities that often expose them to risk and vulnerability. Inspection in border areas is one of the main challenges highlighted by the project's author. Messias Donato emphasizes that these areas serve as corridors for the illegal entry of goods, including agricultural products capable of compromising animal and plant health.

“Inspection in these regions, often without the immediate support of police forces, requires autonomy and legal support so that officers can act with safety and authority,” he said.

The bill still needs to be reviewed by the Public Security and Organized Crime Committee; the Constitution and Justice and Citizenship Committee; and the Finance and Taxation Committee. It may also be reviewed by the Public Administration and Service Committee, based on the content of the bill.

Operations in risk areas

According to Janus Pablo Macedo, president of Anffa Sindical, most of these professionals' work takes place in remote regions, on private property, and often without the presence of security forces. He points out that officials involved in the Agricultural Defense Surveillance Program for International Borders (Vigifronteira) work alongside authorities who already have the right to carry weapons, which puts them at a disadvantage against criminal organizations.

Between 2020 and 2024, agricultural inspection actions resulted in the seizure of more than 422 kilograms of pesticides, 213 kilograms of fertilizers, 573 seeds, 542 liters of beverages, 72 veterinary products, 359 kilograms of animal feed inputs, and almost 5 live animals.

Macedo warns of the growing interest of organized crime in exploiting irregularities with agricultural products, an activity that threatens not only the national economy, but also public health, the environment, and animal and plant health.

"Public security agencies, while seizing large quantities of illegal products, also face limited financial and human resources. This often makes it impossible to provide the necessary support for the Ministry of Agriculture's operations," he highlighted.

For the union, ensuring safety conditions for auditors is essential to preserving the health of the population, environmental sustainability, and the competitiveness of Brazilian agribusiness. "Protecting professionals working in this strategic sector is more than an individual measure: it is an investment in public, health, and economic safety for the entire country," the organization concludes.