Montana Joins With Dakotas
In Canadian Truck Scrutiny

HELENA, Mont. —(AP)— Frustrated with trade policies that he says hurt U.S. farmers and ranchers, Montana Gov. Marc Racicot last Friday announced Montana will increase its inspection of southbound Canadian trucks at border crossings.

The move indicated unity with South Dakota and North Dakota, which took similar steps earlier in the week to protest federal trade policy.

"We in Montana are faced with a difficult issue," Racicot said. "On one hand, our commodities are subject to extensive Canadian quarantine import restrictions, while on the other hand, Canadian commodities are allowed to freely enter the United States by the federal government. It is critical that our federal officials address this disparity."

He told the state departments of agriculture, transportation and livestock to step up monitoring of trucks. Officials will check for compliance with requirements for safety, weight, ownership and the health of livestock and other agricultural cargo.

Truckers whose rigs or cargo do not meet regulations in Montana may be told to remove some cargo, return to Canada or face other penalties, such as fines, depending on the noncompliance.

In South Dakota, trucks carrying Canadian cattle or hogs are escorted out of the state unless drivers can prove the livestock have not been given six drugs banned in the United States but allowed in Canada. Trucks with Canadian grain are banned unless there is proof they are free of disease and wild oats.

A Canadian official said Saskatchewan is considering legal action to hold South Dakota responsible for any damages. Eric Upshall, an agriculture official in the province, said it is disturbing that a small state can "interfere with international trade relations for no reason."

Gov. Bill Janklow, who initiated the inspections in South Dakota, said if Canada tries taking action against the state, he will do the same.

"I'm going to give him a bill for all the cheating he's been doing to our farmers and ranchers, and he can pay that bill," Janklow said. "Then we can all happily go home because our people will have a lot of money then."

The Montana Department of Transportation plans to have portable weigh stations south of Shelby, and in the Cut Bank, Turner and Plentywood areas. The Department of Agriculture will have officials at several ports, including Raymond, Turner and Sweetgrass. The Livestock Department will adjust its enforcement on the basis of traffic patterns, executive officer Larry Petersen said.

All large trucks — not just those from Canada — will be inspected, said Dennis Unsworth, spokesman for the Transportation Department.

"You cannot discriminate," Unsworth said. "You can't pick out license plates and just stop Canadians."

He said the checks are the type his agency normally conducts, but the concentration in a particular area of the state will be new.

The inspections will continue until at least Sept. 25, Racicot said in a news release. At that time, results of the monitoring will be examined to determine whether the additional enforcement should continue, he said.

"These actions create an opportunity to impress upon Congress the need to ensure that our producers are not adversely affected by international trade policies," Racicot said.

Canada's minister of agriculture, Lyle VanClief, wants his U.S. counterpart, Dan Glickman, to stop South Dakota's action.

VanClief, in a telephone interview with Aberdeen radio station KKAA, said he will ask Glickman to stop the action because he doesn't recognize Janklow's authority to carry it out.

He did not address the underlying issue of double standards in trade policies.

"I intend to talk to Secretary Glickman today and find out what they are doing, if they are doing anything. And I can tell you if they aren't doing anything yet, I will be extremely disappointed," the Canadian ag minister said.

Sen. Tom Daschle, D-S.D., talked with Glickman Friday morning and said the USDA secretary reaffirmed the United States' determination to make Canada trade more fairly.

"It doesn't have to be a long-term battle. But I will say that it's about time we had a battle," Daschle told reporters by telephone. "We have pleaded with the Canadians. We have done everything I know how to do to send them as clear a message as possible that if they don't trade more fairly with us, we have no recourse but to go into battle."

States can take whatever actions they want under state laws, Daschle said, adding that it would be difficult for the federal government to tell any governor they could not take actions affecting their states.

The inspections are starting to strain trade relations between the two nations, he said.

VanClief added that he has no desire to talk to Janklow. "I don't think he warrants a phone call."

Daschle said he and others have held talks with the United States trade representative on actions to be taken against Canada. He said he hopes an announcement can be made soon on official actions that can be filed.

"I'm encouraged by our progress and hopeful that perhaps as early as next week we can do that," the senator said.

Daschle reiterated his support of Janklow's truck inspections and said he hopes it spreads to other states. "It is exactly the right message we need to be sending."