First Iowa Couldn’t Get Hogs, Now Mandate Sparks Protests In Canada

When the news dropped of a vaccine mandate to travel into the US, we saw strains on the market fairly quickly. In Iowa, border mandates made it more difficult to get hogs from Canada due to eligible driver shortages.

Since the announcement of the mandate, tensions have been rising, especially on the northern side of the border.

What's Happening At The Border?

According to the Guardian, over the weekend, a group of truckers formed a blockade in the town of Coutts in Alberta to object to the Canada COVID- 19 vaccine mandate. The blockade blocks a keyboarder crossing point for Alberta’s agricultural trade.

As the blockade continues, meatpackers and feed yard owners are becoming more concerned. According to RealAgriculture the Coutts crossing point is a major entry for goods heading in both directions.

Labor shortages and winter weather has been causing the cattle sector in southern Alberta to struggle. The blockade has only been adding to the stress producers have been feeling.

When the mandatory vaccine requirement was announced, the Alberta Cattle Feeders Association were among groups that were concerned about what it would mean to the already short driver situation.

People Travel to Support

Since the protest started, supporters traveled across the province to either join the blockade or help provide supplies. The RCMP, which is the national police force in Canada, closed down roads leading to the blockade at Milk River, a nearby community on Monday.

On Tuesday, tractors and trucks breached the police roadblock as they headed to the protest site.

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