A U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) plan to collect fees on air travelers and commercial shipments from Canada has Canadian airline and trucking companies up in arms.

The United States government said it intends to tighten agricultural inspections at the Canada–U.S. border in an effort to guard against the threats of pests, disease, and bioterrorisim. Commercial products and air travelers, as a result, will be subject to user fees as of November 24.

Commercial aircraft arriving in the United States from Canada will have to pay $70.25, trucks $5.25 per crossing, or $105 annually, loaded rail cars will pay $7.50, and commercial vessels $488. The fees may increase in the next fiscal year.

Senior Vice President of the Canadian Trucking Alliance, Graham Cooper, said he was concerned about the rules and considers them to be too broad. He said it appears the USDA intends to apply a user fee on all trucks regardless of whether they are agriculture products or not.

Both airline and trucking representatives say they are voicing their concerns to the government about the detrimental effects they foresee to their industries, and slow-downs at the border.