U.S. Senator Susan Collins has asked the Department of Commerce and the Office of the United States Trade Representative to provide targeted relief from steel and aluminum tariffs for Maine's wild blueberry sector. In a letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and USTR Jamieson Greer, Collins said producers have recorded more than US$28 million in losses this year due to drought and that rising equipment costs linked to tariffs are adding further pressure.
Collins noted that Maine's wild blueberry industry contributes an estimated US$361 million annually. The state produced about 85 million pounds of wild blueberries last year, accounting for nearly all U.S. production of the crop. She wrote that a 50 per cent tariff on steel and aluminum has increased the cost of harvesting equipment, which is manufactured only in Canada and used for approximately 90 per cent of the crop.
According to Collins, producers face higher expenses because parts and machinery must be imported, and no U.S. manufacturer offers specialised wild blueberry harvesting equipment. She requested that equipment used for harvesting, processing, and mowing wild blueberries be exempted from the tariff on Canadian steel and aluminum. Earlier this year, she urged the administration to reinstate the exclusion process that previously allowed case-by-case tariff relief.
Collins also referenced previous concerns regarding the broader impact of extreme weather, higher production costs, and labour shortages on Maine's fruit producers. In a separate letter last month, she asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture to include Maine's wild blueberry and apple growers in federal disaster assistance programs.
For more information:
Senator Susan Collins
Tel: +1 207 622 8414
www.collins.senate.gov
