Australia lifts US beef ban, sets stage for Trump tariff talks

Australia has moved to dump the ban on US beef imports that Donald Trump’s billionaire trade adviser Howard Lutnick slammed as “nonsense” in a major olive branch to end the tariff war.

The big move removes the Trump administration’s key excuse for imposing steep tariffs on Australian beef exports to the US.

Australia’s bans on fresh beef from the US was to protect against foot-and-mouth outbreak that could cost Australia $80 billion and Mad Cow disease.

But in late 2024 and early 2025, the US introduced more robust movement controls which means that all cattle, from Canada and Mexico, can be identified and traced to the farm and through the supply chain.

The Albanese Government confirmed the big move on Thursday with government sources confirming it was communicated to the US government overnight Wednesday (AEST).

“The Albanese Labor Government will never compromise on biosecurity,’’ Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Minister Julie Collins MP:

“The US Beef Imports Review has undergone a rigorous science and risk-based assessment over the past decade.

“The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry is satisfied the strengthened control measures put in place by the US effectively manage biosecurity risks.

“Australia stands for open and fair trade – our cattle industry has significantly benefited from this.”

The announcement will allow for expanded access to include beef sourced from cattle born in Canada or Mexico which is legally imported and slaughtered in the US.

Despite the recent tariff war, Australian beef has had back-to-back record-breaking export years, with last year worth $14 billion.

The Albanese maintains it was a Departmental decision based on scientific advice following a review of the restrictions initiated more than 18 months ago, prior to Donald Trump re-election as President for a second term.

The US buys in fresh beef from central and South America, where outbreaks of these diseases have been reported.

Prime minister Anthony Albanese had previously warned we won’t back down on biosecurity protections.

“The beef issue was about mad cow disease and about also the fact that beef to Australia couldn’t be guaranteed – whether it had also come from Canada or Mexico as well,” he said at a media conference.

Mr Lutnick, who is the US Commerce Secretary had rubbished Anthony Albanese’s claims that the laws are to protect Australia from diseases insisting it is simply a protectionist tactic to block American imports.

“Our farmers are blocked from selling almost anywhere. Europe won’t let us sell beef, Australia won’t let us sell beef,” Mr Lutnick said.

The interviewer interjected to say this was “because of hormonal chemicals”.

Lutnick replied: “No, no, that’s not why. It’s because they just wanna protect, they want to say: oh, what, the seeds are different? Other people in the world are using seeds? Come on, this is nonsense. This is all nonsense. What happens is they block our markets.”

“When we open those markets ...the price of groceries will come down. Let Donald Trump run the global economy. He knows what he’s doing. Let him fix it. Let Donald Trump fix the US economy.”

As Australia fights to secure a better deal Mr Lutnick had also warned the US President “won’t back off.”

“I don’t think there’s any chance the President is going to back off the tariffs. This is the reordering of global trade,’’ Mr Lutnick told CNN on Friday AEDT.

“The president is not going to back off. But countries can fix their tariffs, their non-tariff trade barriers, which are much, much rougher. They are the monster that needs to be slayed.

“Then, and only then, will Donald Trump make a deal with each country – when they’ve really, really changed their ways.”

“Negotiate is talking. No talking. Too late. These countries have abused us and exploited us, as he said yesterday. They need to change their ways, let’s see them change their ways. It’s going to be a long time, let’s see what they do. Not talking. Talking is nonsense.”

Mr Lutnick previously come out swinging against Australia as he strongly defended the 25 per cent tariffs imposed by the Trump administration on steel and aluminium

“Look, you’ve got dumpers in the rest of the world. Japan dumps steel. China dumps steel. What that means is they make it, they over produce and they sell it dirt cheap to try to drive our guys out of business,” he said.

“The President is here to protect American workers. He’s here to protect American industry. We’re going to stop that nonsense and bring steel here.

https://www.news.com.au/national/politics/prime-minister-lifts-us-beef-ban-sets-...

stop your crying you dumb arse.

The policy was always up for review.  Australia's 'beef' was always that they had no way of determining what was coming from the US, and what was coming through the US from Mexico. That issue has always been resolved.The US improved their controls, we know where the beef comes from, and the regulators have now decided that the risk is minimised.

That by the way was a condition on importing beef that the LIBERAL party supported when they were in govt.

I don’t understand why usa need to sell their beef to Australia. We have an abundance of our own Aussie  grown beef. USA have mega millions of people, Australia doesn’t.
So where is there room for USA beef in our supermarket fridges or at our local butchers?
Aren’t we in Australia, allowed to be independent and able to produce our own enough to feed ourselves? From what I can see there’s enough. Then there’s the ones that are vegan. And more push towards becoming vegetarian too!

If I recall correctly, all the orange trees in Mildura were all pulled out, and we started getting imported oranges from USA. I was horrified!

Just watch this space…. see what happens to our beef industry getting muscled out like our oranges.

John Smith wrote on Jul 24^th, 2025 at 9:49am:


The market decides by supplying cheaper prices… that’s how it will muscle out our own.
It’s always the price that makes it the decider.

Armchair_Politician wrote on Jul 24^th, 2025 at 9:52am:


It’s a political game of power by Trump.
It’s not a necessity for us in Oz, but Albo is being coerced into a corner, almost blackmail … it’s buy our beef, let us import to your country, or a tariff slapped on your country.
This has nothing you do with respecting our country as great with the best beef in the world, it’s about trump favouring his own country.
He couldn’t be happier if our beef industry falls apart… all the more to make us dependent on their exporting to us.
MAGA? Is this how?

Convenient that the risk of disease has suddenly become a non issue. Just in time.

Australia is a net exported of beef. We export about 75% of the beef we produce, and we are the second largest exporter globally. Our beef is generally cheaper than American beef.

So I can't see how this is going to hurt Australian farmers. There will be bugger all imports from the US into Australia. But if it gets rid of the 10% US tariff on Australian beef, it will be a great help to our farmers.

Quote:


It has taken a long time for the US to tighten up control to achieve traceability. The timing may not be a coincidence, because previously it was considered a non-issue, given no-one was wanting to import American beef anyway.

An interesting viewpoint here:

"Cattle Australia 'comfortable' with decision on US beef


Will Evans, the chief executive of the peak body for the grass-fed cattle industry Cattle Australia, says he feels comfortable a decision to remove the remaining restrictions on US beef is based on science.

"The cattle industry is a $75 billion industry. The department has undertaken a technical, scientific assessment and we have to put faith in them," he told ABC's Radio National Breakfast.

"We are a global advocate for rules and science-based trading. Unfortunately in this circumstance it means we've had to open a door that as a producer you probably wouldn't want to open. But we have to recognise that the science has been used here to make this decision."

"For us, the US is an incredibly important trading partner. We need to maintain access and we need to maintain relationships with them."
Evans says he does not think it would impact trade too much.

"If I'm being honest, the trade terms here are not in favour of the US exporting to us. The way this economy works for us is that we [our beef products] go to them."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-07-24/federal-politics-live-blog-parliament-jul...