Empty Shelves, Hungry Kids and a Bright Red Tattoo

 

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) updated their guidance yesterday [LINK HERE] and put a hard date of tomorrow, January 22nd, for the trucker vaccine mandate at all border crossings and ferry terminals.  Canada put the vaccine mandate into effect last week, January 15th.

[Dept. of Homeland Security] – [..]  “Starting on January 22, 2022, the Department of Homeland Security will require that non-U.S. individuals entering the United States via land ports of entry or ferry terminals along our Northern and Southern borders be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and be prepared to show related proof of vaccination,” said Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “These updated travel requirements reflect the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to protecting public health while safely facilitating the cross-border trade and travel that is critical to our economy.”

These changes – which were first announced in October 2021 and made in consultation with the White House and several federal agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – will align public health measures that govern land travel with those that govern incoming international air travel.

Non-U.S. individuals traveling to the United States via land ports of entry or ferry terminals, whether for essential or non-essential reasons, must:

verbally attest to their COVID-19 vaccination status;

provide proof of a CDC-approved COVID-19 vaccination, as outlined on the CDC website;

present a valid Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI)-compliant document, such as a valid passport, Trusted Traveler Program card, or Enhanced Tribal Card; and,

be prepared to present any other relevant documents requested by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer during a border inspection.

COVID-19 testing is not required for entry via a land port of entry or ferry terminal.

Although these new vaccination requirements do not apply to U.S. citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents, or U.S. nationals, all travelers are reminded to bring a WHTI-compliant document when re-entering the United States. (more)

Approximately 50% of U.S. Truck Drivers are unvaccinated, they can no longer enter Canada. Starting tomorrow, Canadian and Mexican truck drivers must be vaccinated, or they will not be able to enter the U.S.

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Cross-Border-Trucking-

1.jpgLand shipments of fresh fruits and vegetables into Canada are immediately impacted. Land shipments of fresh fruits and vegetables into the U.S. from Mexico are impacted starting tomorrow. In addition to agriculture, lumber and auto-parts are likely to face significant impact.

CANADA – […] Alberta Premier Jason Kenney, at a news conference in Calgary, urged the government to extend an exemption that had been in place for truckers since the start of the pandemic.

Kenney made his request on the same day the United States confirmed its own vaccine border mandate for truckers would start on Saturday. Canada’s has been in place since Jan. 15.

“Common sense tells us that we are at the peak of supply chain constraints across North America, around the world, huge inflation,” Kenney said.

This is not the moment “to lose potentially thousands of truckers on our roads, bringing groceries up from the US and who knows maybe (COVID) rapid test kits as well,” he said.

As many as 32,000, or 20 per cent, of the 160,000 Canadian and American cross-border truck drivers may be taken off the roads by the mandate, the Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) estimates. The industry was short some 18,000 drivers even before the mandate, CTA said. (read more)

The bottom line is both shortages and higher prices. Canada will feel it the worst; however, U.S. stores will feel it also. The inflation this will drive will be on top of existing price pressure. We have been warning since October, prices will increase, and shortages will be impactful.

The retail food stores have been reflecting the majority of the price increase from government COVID policy. This vaccine mandate will make those price increases more as transportation costs will increase again.  However, the second route for fresh food delivery, “food away from home“, will suffer the majority of this price increase. Restaurants, hotels, cafeterias, bars and institutional settings (hospitals, nursing homes, etc.) will see significant increases in their food costs.

A perfect storm has been created by policy.