Trump’s new tariffs for Australian agriculture announced

US President Donald Trump has announced new tariffs for US imports, including on Australian beef. This is what farmers need to know.

Australian red meat shipped to the US before 12.01am on Saturday will not be subject to a new 10 per cent tariff imposed by America.

There had been industry concerns that red meat already in transit — including beef, lamb and goat meat — would be hit with the tariff, announced by President Trump in Washington DC on Thursday. However the Australian Meat Industry Council has assured processors this won’t be the case.

AMIC chief executive Tim Ryan said Australian government provided clarification on Thursday afternoon.

“Goods loaded onto a vessel at the port of loading and in transit on the final mode of transit before 12:01am. EDT on April 5, 2025, and entered after 12:01am. EDT on April 5, 2025, shall not be subject to the 10 per cent additional duty,” the advice said.

Mr Ryan said the current beef shortage in the US, driven by a cyclical low in cattle numbers, meant Australian exports remained crucial to the market.

“Australia always plays an important role, especially in the hamburger meat market in the US, so I can’t see the fundamentals of our market changing but the cost will have to be absorbed, and probably to the US consumer,” Mr Ryan said.

He said exporters were already in discussions with US buyers to determine how to manage the tariff.

“The business model hasn’t changed, as we have a really good product that the world, including the US, really wants,” Mr Ryan said. “There are many markets in which we do business and this is just an additional cost in the middle.”

He also noted potential opportunities for Australian beef and lamb in other markets as a result of the US tariff actions.

“It will be interesting to see how other countries respond and if any countries put in place retaliatory tariffs - we will watch carefully,” Mr Ryan said.

However, he cautioned that the broader economic impact of tariffs needed to be considered.

”If you look at stock market today around the world, it has taken a beating and it could be a warning sign of what could come.”

EARLIER: Trump slugs Australia with a 10 per cent tariff

President Trump this morning announced a 10 per cent reciprocal tariff on imports from Australia would be enforced from midnight Washington DC time today, with Australian beef exports to the US singled out as a key point of contention.

“(Australians are) wonderful people and wonderful everything but they ban American beef yet we imported $3 billion of Australian beef from them just last year alone,” President Trump said in an address from the White House Rose Garden.

“They won’t take any of our beef. They don’t want it because they don’t want it to affect their farmers, and you know what I don’t blame them, but we’re doing the same thing right now, starting midnight tonight.”

National Farmers’ Federation president David Jochinke described the move as “dumb economic policy from the US”.

“It’s severely disappointing given the history and depth of our partnership with the US,” Mr Jochinke said.

“This will result in some pain for farmers here, but ultimately it’s the US public who will wear the cost of this at the checkout.

“It is not the end of the road though, and we’ll continue working closely with government on a diplomatic solution. We also need the government to now throw everything at expanding and securing our access to markets around the world, to see if we can extract some opportunity from this volatility.”

Speaking at a press conference in response to President Trump’s announcement, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said “for Australia, these tariffs are not unexpected, but let me be clear, they are totally unwarranted.”

“The administration’s tariffs have no basis in logic, and they go against the basis of our goodwill partnership,” Mr Albanese said.

“This is not the act of a friend. Today’s decision will add to uncertainty in the global economy, and it will push up costs for American households. It is the American people who will pay the biggest price for these unjustified tariffs.”

Mr Albanese said the government would not seek to impose reciprocal tariffs.

“We will not join a race to the bottom that leads to higher prices and slower growth,” he said.

“We will stand up for Australia. We will continue to make the strongest case for these unjustified tariffs to be removed from our exporters. Our existing free trade agreement with the United States contains dispute resolution mechanisms. We want to resolve this issue without resorting to using (these).”

Leading beef producer Marc Greening, from Holbrook in southern NSW, said at least the industry now had an understanding of what was happening.

“Industry can adjust,” Mr Greening said.

“It is something that need to continue to lobby for as grinding beef is a complementary product going into the US.

“Hopefully in the not too distant future, beef products will be differentiated into type classes and manufacturing beef exports, which affect all beef producers in Australia, will be looked at carefully as it is an essential product to US consumers.

“We need strong representation in Washington from the government.”

In 2024, total beef exports to the US were valued at $4.16bn with 72 per cent of the 394,716 tonnes made up of frozen grass-fed beef.