February 9: Alberta producers are seeing only minor impact as a protest at the Coutts border crossing enters its 12^th day.

Late in January, as a convoy of protesters headed to Ottawa, another group settled in at the Coutts crossing, the only point in Alberta that has full facilities for clearing livestock.

The action started when it was announced that truck drivers must be fully vaccinated to enter Canada from the United States. While media report that 90 per cent of international truck drivers already have their shots, the announcement was a tipping point for people who feel that the federal and provincial governments have been playing fast and loose with their personal freedoms.

Protesters driving heavy trucks and farm tractors were able to temporarily close the crossing at Coutts, which was reopened in early February to a single lane in each direction. The truckers and farmers were joined on Feb. 5 by dozens of horse riders. A spokesman for the group said semi-loads of food and other supplies are being provided to maintain the encampment.

Police are now monitoring traffic through the area and turning back people who cannot show that they have legitimate reasons to enter the border crossing. Livestock carriers are being waved through.

Earlier this week, Central Alberta producers Will Kingma and John Middel said they are experiencing little if any impact from the stoppages and delays at Coutts.

Kingma, who raises iso-weans to be fed in the US, said he uses a different crossing and is therefore not affected by any disruptions at Coutts. 

Middel owns a feeding unit that ships to Canadian processors. The corn being fed to his hogs arrives by rail, so has not been affected by problems at the border, although there have been some relatively minor issues with some shipments. 

Bijon Brown, production economist for Alberta Pork, said he has been talking with producers who ship pigs and feed into and from the US. Pigs are going down through a crossing in B.C. while there has been relatively little impact on feed coming north. Brown said issues could arise if pigs were stopped at the border, because they must be unloaded and fed after a specified amount of time on the trailer.

Brown is gathering numbers but did not have any statistical information available at the start of this week. He encourages producers to get in touch with him and report any issues that they are having as a result of border delays.

Darcy Fitzgerald, executive director for Alberta Pork, said transport delays are more of a problem for trucks travelling across the country, including some issues with shipments of culled sows heading into Manitoba.

The blockades continue while protesters await announcements that restrictions related to controlling covid will be fully lifted. Alberta Premier Jason Kenney announced a staged plan to lift restrictions on Feb. 8. Saskatchewan has also reduced some of its restrictions. The federal government has not made any similar announcement.

By Brenda Kossowan

Please note this story was submitted after the Feb/March edition was sent to press.