Are new rules for US beef exports to the UK a big deal for Australia?

­The United States can now access the United Kingdom beef market, thanks to a US-UK Economic Prosperity Deal. See the details.

The shakeup in global trading continues with beef from the United States now having greater and freer access to the United Kingdom market.

US president Donald Trump announced a US-UK Economic Prosperity Deal on Thursday, which will see the 20 per cent tariff on UK beef into the US removed, as well as the 1000 tonne quota.

The changes are likely to have little impact on the Australian beef market, given the relatively low amount of grain-fed beef exported to the UK.

Last year, Australia exported $94 million of beef to the UK, or 6296 tonnes, of which 57 per cent was grass-fed. The UK share was a tiny portion of total Australian exports which finished 2024 at 1.34 million tonnes.

And Australian exports comprised just 2 per cent of the UK imports which draw beef from about 40 different countries.

The new deal will also see the US get a preferential quota for 13,000 tonnes duty free beef, and in return, the US will reallocate 13,000 tonnes of its “other countries” total quota of about 65,000 tonnes to the UK. Australia is not part of the other countries quota group into the US and does not have any specific quota under the US-Australian Free Trade Agrement.

The US cattle industry has welcomed the news with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association saying it had taken years of hard work.

“With this trade deal, President Trump has delivered a tremendous win for American family farmers and ranchers,” NCBA president Buck Wehrbein said.

“For years, American cattle producers have seen the United Kingdom as an ideal partner for trade. Between our countries’ shared history, culture, and their desire for high-quality American beef, securing a trade agreement is a natural step forward.”

Mr Wehrbein said there had been an opportunity for the US to lift beef exports when the UK left the European Union in 2020.

A spokesman for Meat and Livestock Australia said MLA did not forecast exports to individual markets.

“Our March cattle projections forecast 1.39 million tonnes of beef exported overall, which would be a new record,” the spokesman said.

He said 40 per cent of beef and veal exports to the UK were grain-fed.

Cattle Australia declined to comment.