The Trump administration is lifting 50% tariffs on several Canadian products considered critical to Maine’s agricultural industry, delivering Republican Sen. Susan Collins a significant policy victory less than two weeks before Election Day.

The relief comes as Collins fights to retain her seat in one of the country’s most closely watched Senate contests. The administration is also imposing new duties on other Canadian imports, keeping Trump’s turbulent tariff policy firmly in place.

President Donald Trump signed a proclamation exempting seaweed, packaging materials, plywood, refrigeration equipment and agricultural machinery from the steep tariffs. Those products are important to agricultural businesses operating in Maine.

The exemptions are scheduled to take effect Oct. 30. That timing gives Collins a concrete accomplishment to promote during the final days of her campaign against Democrat Troy Jackson.

The proclamation does not amount to a broad retreat from Trump’s tariffs on Canada. It also places 50% tariffs on certain cocoa powders, carpets and floor coverings imported from the United States’ northern neighbor.

Trump’s decision represents another change in his administration’s contentious trade relationship with Canada. He has repeatedly imposed and modified tariffs on Canadian imports, causing concerns among American businesses and lawmakers about higher costs and disruptions to cross border trade.

Tensions appeared to reach a boiling point earlier this year when Trump announced tariffs of up to 50% on $20 billion worth of Canadian goods. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney responded by threatening to match those tariffs “dollar for dollar.”

Days after that confrontation, Trump signed an executive order renaming Lake Ontario as “Lake America” within the United States. Lake Ontario forms part of the border between the United States and Canada.

Collins has pushed the administration to provide tariff relief for Maine businesses during Trump’s escalating trade conflict with Canada. On Friday, she celebrated the newly announced exemptions and emphasized her efforts with senior administration officials.

“I am pleased to have secured additional tariff exemptions [for] products crucial to Maine’s agricultural industries, including blueberry, potato, apple, and seaweed producers,” Collins wrote on X.

Collins said she repeatedly raised the issue in conversations with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and other administration officials. She said those discussions focused on easing the financial burden facing Maine farmers and growers.

The senator also pledged to continue pursuing more exemptions and a broader trade agreement with Canada. Collins described Canada as Maine’s “largest trading partner,” highlighting the economic stakes of Trump’s shifting tariff decisions for businesses in her state.

The announcement arrives as Collins faces a competitive reelection challenge from Jackson. The outcome is among the races that could help determine control of the Senate, adding political weight to the tariff relief announced shortly before voting concludes.

Collins has attempted to distance herself from some Trump policies, particularly his tariffs targeting Canada. At the same time, she has emphasized her ability to win concessions from his administration that directly benefit Maine residents and businesses.

The exemptions now give Collins a tangible policy achievement to highlight before the Nov. 3 election. Voters remain concerned about the economy and rising costs, making Trump’s partial tariff rollback a timely addition to the Republican senator’s closing campaign argument.

Yet the broader tariff fight remains unsettled. While selected Maine industries are receiving relief, other Canadian products will face fresh 50% duties under the same proclamation, reflecting another uneven turn in Trump’s constantly changing trade relationship with Canada.