Maine farmers and fishermen can now get federal assistance to offset rising diesel prices.
U.S. Sen. Susan Collins said Tuesday that farmers and fishermen are eligible for assistance under the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s $8 billion “Harvest Fuel Relief” program.
Under that new program, farmers and fishermen can get a one-time payment to offset those higher production costs. Rates will be announced in November.
“The rising cost of fuel and other inputs has placed significant financial strain on hardworking farmers, fishermen, lobstermen, and their families. After speaking with both the White House and Secretary Rollins, I am pleased to have been assured that Maine fishermen and lobstermen will benefit from the Administration’s new agricultural relief package,” Collins said in a statement. “I will continue advocating for Maine’s fishermen, lobstermen, and specialty crop growers, who are integral to our state’s heritage, economy, and way of life, to ensure they receive the support they need to overcome these challenges.”
Energy costs have spiked since President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu began a war against Iran, which effectively choked off shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas flow.
As of Wednesday, the price for a gallon of diesel in Maine is $6.43, up 66% from a year ago, when it cost $3.86, according to AAA. Farmers and fishermen rely on diesel to power tractors, boats and other equipment, which can drive up the cost of food at the grocery store.
Lobstermen have already been battered by tough economic conditions. Inflation, trade uncertainty and a late molt chipped away at the value of last year’s catch, which was in reality closer to the value of 2008’s, the Maine Department of Marine Resources said in March.
This is just the latest move from the Trump administration to tamp down on growing unease about rising energy costs ahead of the midterm elections.
On Wednesday, the Trump administration said it would release about 315,000 barrels, or 13.2 million gallons, of heating oil from the Northeast reserves as costs stand near record highs. Maine is very vulnerable to price spikes because more than half of households here — more than 300,000 — rely on heating oil to stay warm during the winter. But with daily consumption during the winter averaging between 2 to 7 gallons a day, that supply injection would equal only about nine days of consumption for Maine alone.
Earlier this month, the Trump administration released about $37 million in low-income heating assistance for Maine. An additional $1.4 million was awarded to the state’s four federally recognized tribes.
Other developments across the globe could further strain energy supply chains. The ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine also has strained global fuel supplies as both sides trade blows on each other’s energy infrastructure despite Trump’s push for an “energy ceasefire” as he moves ahead with plans to import Russian diesel. And elsewhere in the Middle East, Iran-aligned Houthis in Yemen have been launching attacks on Saudi energy sites and in September seized territory along a key trade route off the Red Sea.
Fishermen and farmers can submit information about their increased fuel costs to HarvestFuel@usda.gov to help inform payment rates under the program, according to the USDA.