Industry demands imports review as questions remain on US beef

While the White House celebrates a 'win' for American farmers, Australian beef producers have called for review of the trade decision.

Australia’s multibillion-dollar beef industry says questions remain over key biosecurity changes that open the door to more US imports.

In a shock move, Agriculture Minister Julie Collins last week announced a relaxation of rules to now allow beef sourced from Mexico and Canada but processed in the US to be imported into Australia.

Under previous strict rules – in place since 2019 when American beef was allowed to re-enter Australia following a 2003 case of mad cow disease – only beef that originated in the US could be shipped, due to disease concerns in neighbouring countries.

The policy change followed a risk assessment by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, which found US protocols provided strict controls that addressed Australia’s biosecurity concerns over beef from Canadian or Mexican cattle legally imported into the US.

Ms Collins said the decision was based on science but White House officials were quick to brand the move a trade negotiation “win” for President Donald Trump and US beef producers.

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Julie Collins MP during Question Time at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: NewsWire/Martin Ollman

US Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said it was “yet another example of the kind of market access the President negotiates to bring America into a new golden age of prosperity”.

US National Beef Cattlemen’s Association executive director of government affairs Kent Bacus said President Trump had delivered “another win for America’s family farmers and ranchers” and accused Australia of using “countless tactics” to delay the import of the US beef.

The Australian beef industry and federal opposition have called for an independent review of the science behind the decision — which came just days before Mr Trump’s August 1 deadline to renegotiate tariff and trade arrangements with key partners.

Agriculture Minister Julie Collins last week announced a relaxation of rules to allow beef sourced from Mexico and Canada, but processed in the US to be imported into Australia. Picture: Cattle is seen herded together in preparation for a cattle auction in Quemado, Texas. Picture: Brandon Bell/Getty Images/AFP

Industry leaders say it remains unclear whether the same strict conditions faced by Australian exporters — including the requirement for US-appointed inspectors in every abattoir — will be applied in reverse. There is also mounting concern about traceability and biosecurity standards for cattle raised in Mexico and Canada.

“It is like we have gifted away access to the Australian market for US beef for nothing,” Queensland beef producer, lot feeder and processor Josie Angus said. “In return, our beef will continue to be hit by tariffs to their market but we’ve traded our market for free.”

Cattle Australia has called for an independent review of the DAFF assessment, following concerns it already raised in a July submission to the department. While Ms Collins has said the US has “equivalent” biosecurity systems, Cattle Australia disagreed in its submission, particularly regarding the traceability of Mexican cattle.

“CA are concerned that lifetime traceability of cattle entering the US from Mexico and their country of origin is not clearly demonstrated and that there is potential for cattle being transported into Mexico from Central America to be identified as Mexican cattle,” the submission stated.

“CA are concerned over the biosecurity risk this poses for Australia, and we would urge the department to do a more thorough assessment of the lifetime traceability of Mexican cattle due to the biosecurity risk they could potentially pose to Australia.”

The Australian Meat Industry Council also raised concerns in its submission to DAFF, requesting greater scrutiny of Mexico’s traceability systems.

“AMIC recommends that a thorough review of the Mexican Federal Identification system is carried out to ensure its ability to manage animal biosecurity risks and provides adequate assurance animals entering the US supply chain for Australian exports are born and raised in Mexico,” AMIC said.

It has also emerged that the federal government did not adopt the advice of the Inspector General of Biosecurity, who in a March review of import risk protocols, called for the role of the Scientific Advisory Group to be expanded to provide technical oversight for non-regulated import risk analyses.

Cattle Australia chief executive Will Evans said his organisation was “actively engaged” with the department to clarify aspects of the risk assessment and has called for an independent scientific review.

Ms Angus, from Clermont, said as exporters accredited for the US market her business needed to have additional food safety meat inspectors in its facilities at all times that weren’t required for any other market.

“(This is) because the US fails to accept our Australian standards,” she said.

“Then in the US, their production system has different standards that we are blithely accepting — they widely use substances (beta agonists) that are banned in Australia in beef production.”

She also raised biosecurity concerns around beef sourced from Mexico, now eligible for sale in Australia, despite the US itself suspending cattle imports from Mexico on three occasions since November.

Ms Angus said a key omission in the new trade arrangement was the lack of any commitment to country-of-origin labelling.

“We will have meat in Australia that has no country-of-origin labelling, and we don’t even know what is happening really,” Ms Angus said.

The government, however, has said country of origin labelling for meat, both packaged and certain unpacked varieties, remained mandatory in Australia.

Meanwhile, President Trump on Monday flagged the baseline tariff for trading partners yet to strike a new trade deal — including Australia — could be lifted from 10 per cent to between 15 and 20 per cent. In response, Trade Minister Don Farrell said Australia’s “position is unchanged – any tariffs on Australian goods are unjustified and an act of economic self-harm”.

“We will continue to engage at all levels to advocate for the removal of all tariffs, in line with our free trade agreement with the United States,” he said.

Minister Collins said this week the government would “never compromise on biosecurity”.

“This decision was made by independent experts within the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry at arm’s length of any political decision, and follows a rigorous science and risk-based assessment over the past decade,” Ms Collins said.

“It follows extensive stakeholder engagement, including with Cattle Australia, the Australian Meat Industry Council, and the Red Meat Advisory Council, along with a 75-day public consultation period on the draft report.

“The final report and biosecurity import permit conditions were published on the Department’s website in the usual way.”