US imposes preliminary countervailing duties on Canadian fresh mushrooms
The U.S. Department of Commerce has issued a preliminary affirmative countervailing duty (CVD) determination against fresh mushrooms imported from Canada, covering the period January 1–December 31, 2024. Commerce found that countervailable subsidies are being provided to Canadian producers and exporters. The determination is preliminary; interested parties may submit comments before a final ruling. This mirrors an earlier antidumping investigation and will increase landed costs for shippers importing fresh mushrooms from Canada.
Photo: Harrison Haines / PexelsUS Issues Preliminary Countervailing Duty Finding on Canadian Fresh Mushrooms
On May 18, 2026, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced a preliminary affirmative countervailing duty (CVD) determination against fresh mushrooms from Canada. The investigation covers the period January 1, 2024, through December 31, 2024.
The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that countervailable subsidies are being provided to producers and exporters of fresh mushrooms from Canada.
Who is affected
This determination directly impacts:
- U.S. importers and distributors of fresh mushrooms from Canada, who will face CVD assessments on eligible entries
- Canadian fresh mushroom producers and exporters, whose shipments to the U.S. are subject to preliminary duty collection
- E-commerce merchants and food wholesalers sourcing mushrooms from Canadian suppliers
What happens next
The preliminary determination is not final. Commerce has aligned this CVD investigation with a separate antidumping duty (AD) investigation on the same product. Interested parties—including importers, exporters, growers, and trade associations—have the opportunity to submit substantive comments and factual information on this preliminary finding. Commerce will use these comments to issue a final determination, which will establish the definitive duty rate and retroactive liability.
Preliminary CVD duties may be collected on entries made after the preliminary determination date, pending final resolution. Once a final affirmative determination is issued, importers remain liable for any difference between preliminary and final duty rates.
What this means for shippers
Importers of fresh mushrooms from Canada must immediately review their landed-cost calculations and update pricing models to account for preliminary CVD liability. Verify the HS classification of fresh mushrooms (Chapter 7) and confirm the scope of the investigation—whether it covers all fresh mushroom varieties or specific types. Request documentation from Canadian suppliers confirming subsidy status, and consider alternative sourcing or duty-mitigation strategies before the final determination. Failure to accrue reserves for preliminary duties may create cash-flow and accounting compliance problems when bills of duties mature.
