In this day and age, vast amounts of food and are transported via semi truck. And often, those products are crossing the borders of nations. It’s estimated that the food and beverage processing industry is the second largest manufacturing industry in Canada. Its shipments alone were worth $105.5 billion in 2014. Canada and the U.S. make a lot of money off of importing and exporting goods between their countries, and they rely on semi trucks and warehouse storage options, as well as trucking companies, in order to do so. Semi trucks cannot allow efficiently ship the food products themselves; it is also responsible for container delivery, among other things. But, although Canada and the U.S. seem rather similar and share a land mass, there are of course strict guidelines that must be followed when it comes to food leaving and entering the nations. This is why, rather than maintaining their own trucks and warehouses, many food manufacturing companies outsource their shipping requirements to third party storage and transportation companies. But what goes into importing and exporting food between Canada and the U.S.? Why is it such an undertaking? Let’s find out.
The Intricacies Of Hauling Food
When it comes to a container delivery carrying food, this is typically referred to as “hauling food”. Laws are constantly shifting and changing when it comes to borders; but the U.S. and Canada have typically had a stable trading relationship, and it brings quite a bit of income to both countries. An issue that many truckers face is the temperature changes the food will undergo. Even in a completely secure container delivery, food can potentially be exposed to the elements. Canada, though not without hotter seasons, is typically a cooler country than much of the U.S. In states like Florida and California, the heat inside a shipping container can be unbearable, and potentially harmful to food products. Many foods, when overheated, will spoil or become contaminated — which will result in at best a major loss of money, and at worst a potential health crisis if quality control doesn’t catch the issue. Just as easily, temperatures that are too cold can ruin food as well. It’s important that, when working with a company that handles food container delivery, one ensures that the company is thorough and stringent in its own personal regulations.
The Legalities Surrounding Hauling Food
Fortunately, there historically haven’t been too many issues with hauling food, and most legal changes have been made to prevent problems rather than react to them. This means that food may at times be delivered at a slower rate than it once was — but it’s better for clients to deal with that, rather than spoiled or contaminated products. More emphasis has been placed on the inspection of equipment, and in turn there are higher standards expected of drivers. Drivers are expected to take an active role in ensuring that food is kept in perfectly sanitary conditions. They also have to maintain consistent paper trails regarding the food. Of course, there is always pushback to these types of regulations. But the purpose is not to criticize the drivers or make their jobs harder, but to keep everyone else safer.
Importing And Exporting Food Between Canada And The U.S.
There are many different issues that come into the regulation of food products that are shipped between Canada and the U.S. The close relationship the countries share makes that much easier, and there will be variations depending on whether the food is processed or fresh. With that being said, it’s important to ensure that rules are followed carefully — there can be legal repercussions otherwise. This is just one reason why it’s a good idea to work with professionals when it comes to shipping food products.
