Headlines

Local Farming Industry Benefits From New Bridge

Posted: 3:39 PM Jun 15, 2012
Reporter: Shannon Kantner

The wait time in line for trucks on the Michigan-Canada border carrying local farmers' produce can be a real problem.

"I think the public doesn't realize that Canada is our largest exporter," said Ingham County Farm Bureau Board President Laurie Koelling. "So it's critical for us to be able to get our product across to Canada."

Locally grown products - more than 150 commodities - like grain and cattle travel to Canada every day, but it's not always easy. Governor Snyder called it the biggest bottleneck on the Pan-American Highway during a press conference annoucing the partnership.

"There are times that we're waiting to get trucks back and forth across the bridge up to four and five hours," Koelling said. "We'll be expecting a truck in to pick up a shipment at 5:00, and they show up at midnight. So this would be great news to have more consistent shipping."

Not only that, but it's expected to create up to 10,000 jobs in Michigan over the next few years.

"It's to create more and better jobs not just for us but for our kids, tremendously important," Governor Snyder said.

Michigan isn't paying a penny for the $1 billion bridge.

"Canada is being thoughtful enough, kind and generous enough to advance the funds for the Michigan portion of this project," Governor Snyder said.

The Governor and Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Michigan's $550 million share will be paid back in bridge tolls. While some in the legislature are weary, the Canadian Prime Minister is not.

"We have supreme confidence that this will be the best investment that the government of Canada ever makes in the Canadian-American partnership," Prime Minister Harper said.

The Governor said he didn't wait on the legislature to act because he wasn't asking for any money from taxpayers. He said there's no time to waste, and he wanted to move forward.

The bridge is expected to take five years to build.