The food shortage is not a new issue but is likely to continue next year. This has been an ongoing issue caused by the U.S. Canadian vaccine mandate dispute and it has impacted the abilities for freight to cross borders.
Coordinated with the American Trucking Association with the guidance of Idaho Trucking Association President Allen Hodges, leaders, and U.S Rep. Mike Simpson (R) met with truck fleets of all sizes. This meeting, held April 20, provided a space for everyone, specifically local truckers, to share their concerns with leaders who have the potential to help. Hodges felt that it was important to establish a relationship with federal legislators to help make real efforts to resolve this dispute at the Canadian-U.S. border.
The dispute began when Canada implemented a border vaccine requirement on January 15. This was a requirement that impacted hundreds of commercial drivers.
American Trucking Association Executive Director of the Agricultural & Food Transporters Conference, Jon Samson, is working with Idaho, North Dakota, Michigan, and Montana to help resolve this matter. Samson shares that farming and harvesting is an annual process and if any part of it should be tampered with, it could impact many for the next harvesting season a year away.
