OTTAWA — U.S. President Donald Trump is moving to exempt several Canadian agricultural products from his tariffs after pressure from Republican Sen. Susan Collins, whose home state of Maine has been hit by the ongoing trade dispute.Collins announced Friday that nine categories of Canadian products, including blueberries, potatoes, apples and seaweed, would be exempt from U.S. tariffs.The announcement comes less than two weeks before the November 3 midterm elections, with Collins seeking a sixth term in the Senate.According to reporting by The Wall Street Journal, the Trump administration has been preparing to lift its 50% tariffs on certain Canadian agricultural and forestry products to help Republican candidates in northern states.Collins has repeatedly criticized Trump's trade war with Canada, warning that tariffs are driving up costs for families, farmers and businesses in Maine.“Canada is our friend, our closest ally and our biggest trading partner,” Collins told Politico in an earlier interview.“This is not China that we are talking about. This is not an adversarial country. And … our economies are so linked, if you try to hurt one you end up hurting Maine.”.The White House has not formally confirmed the broader tariff changes reported Friday. An administration official cautioned that reports of pending changes were speculative and that official announcements would come from the administration.Trump imposed 50% tariffs on approximately $20 billion worth of Canadian goods in August after trade negotiations between Ottawa and Washington collapsed.Canada responded with retaliatory tariffs on American products, adding to the pressure on businesses on both sides of the border.Collins has spent months pressing the administration for exemptions. In September, she secured relief for Canadian road salt and cement after raising concerns about higher costs for Maine municipalities and businesses.The senator previously accused the White House of overlooking the consequences of its trade policies for border communities.“I think the administration has very much underestimated the impact on Maine families, on small manufacturers, on our agricultural products,” Collins told Politico in September.Maine's economy is closely tied to Canada through agriculture, forestry, seafood and cross-border trade.Collins is facing Democrat Troy Jackson, who has made Trump's tariffs an issue in the Senate campaign.The proposed exemptions would mark another adjustment to Trump's trade measures against Canada, although the administration could impose additional duties on other Canadian products.Trade negotiations between Prime Minister Mark Carney's government and Washington have remained stalled since August.
