Why does Maine have a blueberry tax?

Maine's blueberry tax is related to the berry's success as an export. This state alone produces as much as 99 percent of the wild blueberries consumed in America, and the tax impacts the growers, sellers and workers who support the blueberry industry.

The cost of the tax gets passed on to the consumer, though this doesn't seem to have dampened anyone's enthusiasm for Maine blueberries. While it may seem opportunistic for the state to tax something that is so vitally important to its own economy, the revenue helps Maine stay competitive among a growing market of commercial blueberry suppliers.