TORONTO, (July 5, 2004) — The Canadian Embassy in Washington has written to U.S. FDA to request sufficient staff coverage at Canada-U.S. border crossings during peak evening and weekend shipping hours.

The Ontario Trucking Association has been lobbying government officials to support the truck group in its efforts in getting the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to add inspectors and extend hours of operation during weekends. The OTA says this lack of coverage by FDA officials has created serious inefficiencies for Ontario carriers hauling food or other FDA impacted product to the U.S. — particularly across the Port of Buffalo.

Moreover, the unpredictability of weekend operations at the border has created a diminishing U.S. consumer/consignee confidence in Canadian products and the ability for Canadian carriers to supply product in a timely manner, creating potential for increased sourcing from U.S. supplier and trucking companies, the OTA notes, adding that the
alteration of production and dispatch schedules for both exporters and carriers is a highly inefficient use of capital and labour.

As Today’s Trucking has reported recently, similar requests from the Province of Ontario and the Consul General in Buffalo were recently made in support of Ontario carriers and their customers exporting product subject FDA inspection.