Maine senator says ‘tariff exemptions’ coming for some Canadian goods

Republican Sen. Susan Collins says some “tariff exemptions” will be granted on certain Canadian agricultural goods by U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, with less than two weeks to go before the midterm elections.

In a post on social media, the senator said she was “pleased to have secured additional tariff exemptions for products crucial to Maine’s agricultural industries, including blueberry, potato, apple and seaweed producers.”

“Many of our farmers and growers rely on specialized equipment, packaging materials, and other products from Canada that are either unavailable from American suppliers or cannot be replaced without incurring significant expense,” she said.

“In my repeated conversations with Ambassador Greer, Secretary Lutnick, and other senior Administration officials, I have asked for tariff relief for these important products and I will continue working directly with Administration officials to seek additional relief and encourage a broader trade agreement with Canada, our neighbor, ally, and largest trading partner.”

Neither Trump nor the White House have confirmed her statement as of publication and it is not clear whether any lifting of tariffs will include additional tariffs on other sectors, or how long any potential relief might last.

Global News has reached out to the White House for additional information.

The U.S. midterms are scheduled for Nov. 3.

More to come.