Provided following are some Frequently Asked Questions we have been receiving related to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Should you have further questions, or require additional information, please contact your local Farrow representative.
1. Is Farrow open for business?
As part of the supply chain, Farrow has been designated an essential service on both sides of the northern border between the U.S. and Canada. As such, Farrow is committed to business continuity during this pandemic, in order to help keep the supply chains of our clients, operating. While this is certainly not “business-as-usual,” Farrow is making every effort to make it appear so for our clients who are able to continue operating.
2. Should I expect any shipment delays?
In short – no.
Both the U.S. and Canada have stressed that trade is not affected by the border restrictions. The border is closed to non-essential traffic.
If you are an essential service, and your enterprise has not been mandated to shutdown, and all paperwork related to your entries is completed correctly, there should be no delays related to Covid-19, for carriers delivering your product. However, these are unprecedented times, and much extra caution is being taken by both the CBP in the U.S. and CBSA in Canada. As always, careful planning is recommended for your supply chain.
3. What is Farrow doing to prevent the spread of the virus? To protect its employees?
Farrow has taken the following steps, to stop the spread of the virus
- All employees who are able to work remotely are now working from home
- For those who must be on-site, every effort to provide the safest work environment possible has been undertaken, and physical distancing measures have been implemented. Note: as a logistics provider, not all of our employees have the ability to work remotely (our warehouse employees for example).
- Increased hygiene protocols are in place for our work spaces, offices, and warehouses.
- All business travel and client meetings have been suspended
- Employees returning from personal travel have been required to self-isolate
- Any employees exhibiting symptoms are required to self-isolate.
- For the interactions required with external parties in the trade chain and across international borders, we remain completely focused on fulfilling your deliveries in the safest and most secure way possible while ensuring minimal disruption.
4. How is COVID-19 affecting Farrow’s daily operations?
To ensure business continuity during this time, Farrow implemented measures to allow us to transfer work between offices, in the event of local health related closures. Operations are continuing across our warehouses, with increased safety and cleaning practices implemented as mentioned in question 4.
In short, Farrow operations are continuing as best we’re able, while at the same time, adhering to restrictions put in place by local authorities.
5. Does Farrow deliver to locations with a shelter-in-place order?
Yes. Provided the destinations are practicing the same physical distancing measures which are in place for our employees, Farrow is still delivering, based on our customers also being designated an essential service, within their local jurisdiction.
6. Is it possible to reduce contact with drivers when they deliver my orders?
Yes. Many of our deliveries still require a signature, however, given practical physical distancing measures, a safe reduction in contact with drivers is possible.
7. How will Farrow respond to the constantly changing circumstances?
Farrow continues to plan for the short-term, in order to respond appropriately. Internally, we have convened cross-functional teams to assess and actively monitor this ongoing situation. Regular communications are shared with our employees. This is all with the aim of having as little disruption as possible for our valued clients.
8. Has there been any relief from governments regarding the payment of duties and taxes associated with imports?
This is a complicated answer – as there are differing positions between the governments of the U.S. and Canada.
In the U.S.:
The government has thus far rejected industry calls for relief of duties or taxes. The administration will not implement a 90-day duty deferral at this time, according to National Economic Council Directory Larry Kudlow – after looking at the issue, the Administration believes such a deferral would be too complicated.
In Canada:
The government has provided an option for the extension of timeframes for the payment of customs duties and the Goods and Services Tax (GST), in certain cases – specifically, for those importers on the GST and Duty Direct program.
You can view the text of Customs Notice 20-11 here.
Please note: Further to Customs Notice 20-11, and with respect to Canadian imports, Farrow clients are advised that there are no changes to the credit terms for clients who are not on the GST and Duty Direct program.
