While some details were still to come, the Canada-U.S. border closed to all non-essential travel in both directions as of Friday night, according to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Trudeau anticipated the closure, a mutual agreement that will allow trade routes and commercial channels to remain open, would go into effect at some point in the overnight hours between Friday and Saturday.
The Ag-Twitter world was abuzz before the actual details became public; hoping against hope the border would remain open for commercial traffic because of nearly $2.7 billion in commercial trade crosses that border daily. Much of that commerce is farm goods, grains, crops, equipment, fertilizer, and parts to name some of those goods.
When this journalist put the question to the #AGTwitter world, the responses came from right across the country.
Lorne McClinton, a freelance agricultural journalist in Kingston, Ontario, said, “The Feds were under political pressure to close the U.S. border but had to calm the political waters without wrecking our economy by disrupting cross-border trade. Stopping only non-essential crossings does this. It is critical for it to be a joint decision and to avoid unilateral action.”
Scott Perkin, small grains and cattle producer from Elgin, Manitoba, said the border did not remain closed for agricultural trade or other commerce. But dropping demand is the more significant concern, markets hate uncertainty, and unfortunately, that is in abundant supply.
President @intelliFARMInc grains analyst, economist and speaker who lives at Ste. Agathe, MB said, “From what I can read into it, it shouldn’t make a substantial difference on ag, specifically as that would be considered commercial. If the closures went beyond this, we’d likely have issues with fertilizer coming up, but also grain movement south. Hopefully doesn’t come to that.”

Paul Van den Borre from Burgessville, Ontario, Canada said commerce is still to flow, but this probably will add confusion and time to agricultural-related border crossings.
Daryl Devos, a southern Manitoba farmer, said farmers need movement north/south more than ever. Ocean ports will have intermodal problems for months.
Eldon Klippenstein at Altona, MB, added he’s not trying to be concerned about seed supplies. Happy it is mid-March and not mid-April, but said commercial freight is still flowing normal, as much as he could tell.
Warren, who calls himself the @SkepticAg the Hub of the Peace Country, suggested an action government could take is the easing of regulations and restrictions on truck drivers to override CBAs to allow for more loads and unloads etc.
David Hamilton, a grain farmer from Sturgis, SK said as long as there are enough services available to keep the trucking and rail industry going, they should be fine across the borders. They already see posts of truck stops closed for washrooms and meals to a small extent in the U.S.
Gerry Ritz, former Canadian Ag Minister, said governments needed to put timeliness on the ‘just in time’ deliveries and any hold on best before product.
John Kowalchuk Farms said with essential services like trucking across the border still allowed; it has had minimal effect on the ag industry so far. That would change drastically if all movement stopped, but that would be the knife in the whole Canadian economy.
Ben Heide of Boissevain, MB said one concern would be the supply of parts and supplies once planting season begins from the USA. “We can plan for everything but the unknown, the solutions to those hurdles will likely require creativity and patience.”
Pat Kunz is a full-time farmer in S.W. Saskatchewan, who grows wheat, durum wheat, mustard and peas, said the only thing he might add is hopefully the majority of truckers and others in the supply chain remain healthy. “These are variables we will have to ride out.”
Ron Krahn at Rivers, MB ag should be in as good a position to carry on as any industry.
“But we are still reliant on logistics, truckers need restaurants and tire shops, etc., which are all in danger of shutting down,”added Krahn.
Krahn agreed with Jonathon Driedger, a grain market analyst with @LeftFieldCR, a research department for 16 Canadian crop markets said the focus on keeping food on store shelves should put ag trade in an excellent position to remain as uninterrupted as possible. “We can’t rule out seeing that trade disrupted as well, but it should be one we take great lengths to ensure full movement.”
Philip Shaw, who farms corn and soybeans in southeast Ontario near Dresden and writes about grain markets, said it appears the border is not closed for agricultural trade or other commerce. But dropping demand is the more significant concern; markets hate uncertainty, and unfortunately, that is in abundant supply.
Landon Friesen who farms at Crystal City, MB said on Tuesday and continuing, “I’ve hauled south all week, crossed again a few minutes ago. Trade and commerce will continue as usual. No personal travel allowed either direction is what they’re telling me.”
Ken Foster at Arborg, MB said his fear is if farmers get sick, “we don’t seed. Take this seriously.”
Shawn Schill calls himself, ‘Social distancing Schill’ said agriculture needs to be making a common sense list of wants or proposed changes right now. The coronavirus fallout is exposing the bottlenecks and issues. “The agriculture system could be a dynamic national and global power if we would quit stepping on its neck, and instead empower it.” •
— By Harry Siemens