LANSING, Mich. (April 21, 2022) – Michigan Agri-Business Association President Chuck Lippstreu today issued the following statement regarding a decision by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to indefinitely extend its vaccination requirement for essential workers crossing the U.S.-Canada border: “This decision is bad news for Michigan farmers and rural businesses facing historic supply chain disruption as we enter the critical spring planting season. The failure by DHS to provide common-sense exemptions to this policy for agricultural truck drivers flies in the face of reality on the ground here in Michigan, where our agriculture sector continues facing supply disruptions, increases in cross-border trucking costs and an ongoing driver shortage. We urge the administration to reconsider this decision, and we continue to call on the Canadian government to offer a common-sense exemption to its border vaccination requirement for employees facilitating trade between the U.S. and Canada.” # # #
