Skagit blueberry growers seek tariff relief

Washington’s congressional legislators are stepping in to help Skagit, Snohomish and Whatcom counties blueberry growers challenged by steep Japanese tariffs on frozen berries, a key export market.

Recently, Reps. Rick Larsen (D-Everett) and Suzan DelBene (D-Medina) urged U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai and U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel to work with their Japanese counterparts to ensure equal market access for Washington farmers by eliminating Japan’s damaging frozen blueberry tariffs.

While the U.S.-Japan Phase One trade deal reduced tariffs for fresh and dried blueberry to zer...