Although the tariff has been described as ‘reciprocal’, Meat & Livestock Australia has pointed out there is no ban on the importation of American beef into Australia as claimed by US President Donald Trump.
“Australia bans — and they’re wonderful people, and wonderful everything — but they ban American beef,” Mr Trump said.
“Yet we imported $[US]3 billion [$4.8 billion] of Australian beef from them just last year alone.
“They won't take any of our beef,” he claimed.
“They don’t want it because they don’t want it to affect their farmers and, you know, I don’t blame them but we’re doing the same thing right now, starting at midnight tonight, I would say.”
MLA pointed out that strict biosecurity measures to guard against dangerous diseases meant that Australia would not import beef from the US that has been born and raised in Canada and Mexico, and was shipped through the US.
The ban does not apply to beef born and raised in the US.
MLA managing director Michael Crowley said MLA and the industry had already been working on this issue throughout 2025, with the formation of an industry taskforce and collaboration and communication with the Federal Government.
He said the role of MLA was to grow global demand for our beef, sheepmeat and goatmeat by:
- Supporting improved access to global markets.
- Developing more markets alongside commercial partners.
- Promoting Australian red meat’s strong attributes as a guaranteed safe, healthy and delicious product.
- Creating demand with high impact in-country marketing campaigns.
“US tariffs will impact the prices paid by American families and may have flow-on impacts on the supply chain. It is unlikely these changes will make a difference to retail prices here in Australia,” Mr Crowley said.
The US announcement cited concerns with a lack of access for US beef imports to Australia.
Australia has completed science-based biosecurity and food safety assessments that would allow the trade of US beef from cattle born and raised in the US.
However, the US has also asked for access to Australia for beef from cattle raised in Mexico or Canada and processed and exported from the US. This revised request is undergoing the normal Australian science-based assessment to protect our biosecurity.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese maintained the tariffs were “totally unwarranted”.
“The administration’s tariffs have no basis in logic and they go against the basis of our two nations’ partnership,” he said.
“This is not the act of a friend.”
US consumers could be among the worst hit by the tariffs as Australian beef is in an estimated six billion hamburgers eaten every year in that country.
Monash University professor of econometrics Robert Brooks said the direct impact of Trump’s tariffs on Australia’s economy will probably be minimal.
“However, the indirect effects could be more significant — particularly if Australia chooses to engage in a tit-for-tat trade war, which would ultimately dampen global economic growth,” Prof Brooks said.
– with AAP.
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