Australia said it will ease restrictions on U.S. beef imports—a decision the Trump administration hailed as a significant win against what it called ‘non-scientific trade barriers,’ as reported by the Associated Press.
Australian Agriculture Minister Julie Collins stated on Thursday that easing the rules aimed at keeping the country free of mad cow disease, known as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), would not pose a risk to biosecurity.
The government “will never compromise on biosecurity,” she said, adding that “Australia supports open and fair trade, and our cattle industry has greatly benefited from it.”
“Now, we are going to sell so much to Australia because this is undeniable and irrefutable proof that U.S. beef is the safest and best in the entire world,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Since 2019, Australia has permitted beef imports from cattle raised entirely within the United States. However, it had barred U.S. beef originating from Canada or Mexico due to concerns over disease. Recently, the U.S. implemented stricter tracking measures that allow authorities to trace cattle from those countries back to their original farms.
Collins said Australian authorities are satisfied that the strengthened control measures introduced by the U.S. adequately address biosecurity concerns. However, the schedule for implementing the eased restrictions remains undecided.
Acknowledging the advancements, the Australian agriculture ministry declared that cattle born in Canada or Mexico, then legally brought into and processed in the United States, will now be accepted. It also stated that domestic firms can begin applying for import permits starting July 28.
As reported by the Australian Financial Review, Australia intends to leverage the relaxation of import restrictions to strengthen its appeal for the United States to reduce the 50% tariffs on steel and aluminum, as well as to reconsider Trump’s proposed 200% tariff on pharmaceuticals. Meanwhile, Collins emphasized that the policy shift was based solely on scientific evaluation.
Industry body Cattle Australia and the shadow agriculture minister have called for an independent review of the policy before it takes effect. Although U.S. beef exports to Australia resumed last year after a pause, volumes remained minimal. The 2024 shipment totaled 269 tons, the highest on record, surpassing the previous peak of 263 tons in 1995, according to Australian customs data.
In contrast, Australia has consistently exported between 150,000 and 400,000 tons of beef annually to the United States since 1990.
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