This year magnified how critical our supply chain is for agriculture. Last fall, we started to see the impact the drought was going to have on cattle feeders. The entire value chain was not able to fully comprehend the amount of corn and dried distillers grains we were going to require, or the importance of timely delivery. In 2020, Canada imported around 600 railcars of feed from the U.S. In 2021, that rose to over 8,000 railcars, and we've already surpassed this number in 2022.
Train delays depleted our supplies early in 2022 and, just when we thought things were running smoothly, the border was blocked by protesters. This meant not only that beef and live animals could not exit or enter our country, but also that dried distillers grains, which are needed as a feed protein source, were prevented from entering Canada. DDGs are primarily delivered by truck. Therefore, the border closure added another devastating blow. Now, after the CP Rail strike, there is no feed buffer left. Without regular shipments, most feedlots would have been out of feed within one to two weeks, leaving animals compromised.
We appreciate that the agriculture standing committee is looking into supply chain issues. For the cattle sector, this is about more than just the CP Rail strike. It's about the Government of Canada ensuring that essential supply chains are not blocked.
The government must declare railways an essential service. There are no alternatives for the delivery of essential supplies, as we have just outlined. It's not only the railways. Border crossings and other critical supply chain routes cannot be blocked. Any impediment to.... The flow of critical goods necessary for the health, welfare and safety of Canadians must be upheld.
Second, we need the Government of Canada to create an infrastructure funding envelope dedicated to rural infrastructure and the transportation needs of agriculture. Beyond a focus on rural broadband, agriculture desperately requires essential investments in hard economic assets, such as roads, bridges, local transportation networks, and improved rail transfer, storage facilities and infrastructure.
Thank you.