Maine’s independent senator says the state’s blueberry growers need help from the federal government to survive the Trump administration’s trade battle with China.
Sen. Angus King said Wednesday the value of Maine’s wild blueberry exports to China are on pace to drop by nearly 97 percent since 2017. Maine is America’s largest producer of wild blueberries, which are smaller than cultivated blueberries and are widely used in frozen and processed products.
King said it’s unfair that Maine wild blueberry growers haven’t been included in President Trump’s farm bailout programs. He said the blueberries are “an iconic Maine agricultural product” that has “lost a piece of its future.”
The Maine wild blueberry industry is facing other difficulties outside of the trade dispute with China. Prices for the fruit have been much lower than they were earlier this decade. The size of the harvest last year was also the lowest in more than a decade.
King delivered his remarks via a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue. He also spoke about the issue on the Senate floor later Wednesday.
Copy the Story LinkMaine’s wild blueberry growers are getting hit with a double whammy – their exports to China have decreased by nearly 97% since the trade war began, AND they’ve missed out on the President’s farm bailout lottery. Even worse: no one can explain why they lost out. pic.twitter.com/pJQFIhBbIo
— Senator Angus King (@SenAngusKing) December 4, 2019
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.