U.S. to drop 50% tariffs on certain Canadian products, Maine senator says

Maine Senator Susan Collins says that she has successfully lobbied the Trump administration to drop tariffs on nine categories of Canadian products less than two weeks before midterm elections in which she is in a tough fight to keep her seat.

Ms. Collins said on Friday that the U.S. would stop tariffing Canadian seaweed as well as several products used by Maine fruit farmers to harvest or package their goods.

These include paperboard carton, plastic crates, plastic bags, refrigeration equipment, agricultural sorting machinery, and non-adhesive foil.

In a statement, Ms. Collins said Maine blueberry, apple and potato producers can’t get these products anywhere but via Canadian import.

No timeline to resume formal trade talks with U.S., chief negotiator says

“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,” Ms. Collins said in a statement.

Ms. Collins previously got the Trump administration to drop tariffs on Canadian road salt and other goods. The administration then added tariffs to other goods so the total amount of Canadian products tariffed would remain the same.

She did not say what, if any, products would be added to the tariff list in this case.