US beef unlikely to flood Australia as ban lifted
The federal government on Thursday revealed it would lift biosecurity restrictions on US beef as it seeks a way to dampen the blow of President Donald Trump's volatile tariff regime.
Australia has been mulling over the move for months after Mr Trump requested a lift on the ban, and Agriculture Minister Julie Collins stressed the decision follows a decade-long science-based review.
Cattle Australia CEO Will Evans believed the move would not have been made unless the government had the utmost confidence in the science, but said some would still be unhappy with its decision.
"There's going to be a lot of people today who feel blindsided by this, there's going to be a lot of people who are going to feel really frustrated and threatened by this," he told ABC radio.
"We need to talk to them.
"The US is an incredibly important trading partner - we need to maintain access and we need to maintain relationships with them."
Some have raised worries US beef could impact Australia's domestic market, industry representatives remain relatively unperturbed.
"It's a bit like selling ice to Eskimos," Australian Meat Industry Council CEO Tim Ryan told ABC.
The domestic beef industry is self-sufficient and any imports of US beef are "unlikely to have any effect on the market here", Mr Evans said.
The US can't even meet its own needs, he noted, and remains one of the main export markets for Australian beef.
Likewise, Australian beef is one of the country's biggest exports to the US and was worth $14 billion in 2024.
But the US president has taken issue with the perceived one-sidedness of this relationship, saying in April, "they won't take any of our beef".
The US has been able to send beef to Australia since 2019, though any beef raised in Canada or Mexico before being slaughtered and processed in the US was previously barred due to biosecurity concerns.
One concern was that Mexico's livestock tracking system could inadvertently lead producers to import beef from parts of the continent where there were disease outbreaks.
But the latest announcement will lift the ban on beef sourced from Canada or Mexico after the US introduced more robust movement controls in late 2024 and early 2025, allowing for improved identification and tracing throughout the supply chain.
"We have not compromised on biosecurity," Ms Collins told reporters in Canberra.
"Australia stands for open and fair trade - our cattle industry has significantly benefited from this.
"(The department) is satisfied the strengthened control measures put in place by the US effectively manage biosecurity risks."
The change is widely viewed as a bargaining chip Australia could use while attempting to push for tariff exemptions from the US.
Nationals Leader David Littleproud said he held concerns about its "swiftness".
"It looks as though it's been traded away to appease Donald Trump, and that's what we don't want," he told ABC radio.
Opposition trade spokesman Kevin Hogan also said there are more questions to be answered and maintained the government needed to ensure biosecurity protocols had not been weakened.
Ms Collins insists the decision has been part of a years-long science-based process that precedes Mr Trump's tariffs.
Many Australian goods sent to the US currently face the baseline 10 per cent tariff, while steel and aluminium products have been slapped with a 50 per cent tariff.
Mr Trump has also threatened a tariff on pharmaceutical imports to the US, which is one of Australia's biggest exports to its ally.
Australian cattle producers have been left blindsided by a decision to lift a ban on US beef, but the level of American product arriving in Australia is expected to be very low.
The federal government on Thursday revealed it would lift biosecurity restrictions on US beef as it seeks a way to dampen the blow of President Donald Trump's volatile tariff regime.
Australia has been mulling over the move for months after Mr Trump requested a lift on the ban, and Agriculture Minister Julie Collins stressed the decision follows a decade-long science-based review.
Cattle Australia CEO Will Evans believed the move would not have been made unless the government had the utmost confidence in the science, but said some would still be unhappy with its decision.
"There's going to be a lot of people today who feel blindsided by this, there's going to be a lot of people who are going to feel really frustrated and threatened by this," he told ABC radio.
"We need to talk to them.
"The US is an incredibly important trading partner - we need to maintain access and we need to maintain relationships with them."
Some have raised worries US beef could impact Australia's domestic market, industry representatives remain relatively unperturbed.
"It's a bit like selling ice to Eskimos," Australian Meat Industry Council CEO Tim Ryan told ABC.
The domestic beef industry is self-sufficient and any imports of US beef are "unlikely to have any effect on the market here", Mr Evans said.
The US can't even meet its own needs, he noted, and remains one of the main export markets for Australian beef.
Likewise, Australian beef is one of the country's biggest exports to the US and was worth $14 billion in 2024.
But the US president has taken issue with the perceived one-sidedness of this relationship, saying in April, "they won't take any of our beef".
The US has been able to send beef to Australia since 2019, though any beef raised in Canada or Mexico before being slaughtered and processed in the US was previously barred due to biosecurity concerns.
One concern was that Mexico's livestock tracking system could inadvertently lead producers to import beef from parts of the continent where there were disease outbreaks.
But the latest announcement will lift the ban on beef sourced from Canada or Mexico after the US introduced more robust movement controls in late 2024 and early 2025, allowing for improved identification and tracing throughout the supply chain.
"We have not compromised on biosecurity," Ms Collins told reporters in Canberra.
"Australia stands for open and fair trade - our cattle industry has significantly benefited from this.
"(The department) is satisfied the strengthened control measures put in place by the US effectively manage biosecurity risks."
The change is widely viewed as a bargaining chip Australia could use while attempting to push for tariff exemptions from the US.
Nationals Leader David Littleproud said he held concerns about its "swiftness".
"It looks as though it's been traded away to appease Donald Trump, and that's what we don't want," he told ABC radio.
Opposition trade spokesman Kevin Hogan also said there are more questions to be answered and maintained the government needed to ensure biosecurity protocols had not been weakened.
Ms Collins insists the decision has been part of a years-long science-based process that precedes Mr Trump's tariffs.
Many Australian goods sent to the US currently face the baseline 10 per cent tariff, while steel and aluminium products have been slapped with a 50 per cent tariff.
Mr Trump has also threatened a tariff on pharmaceutical imports to the US, which is one of Australia's biggest exports to its ally.
Australian cattle producers have been left blindsided by a decision to lift a ban on US beef, but the level of American product arriving in Australia is expected to be very low.
The federal government on Thursday revealed it would lift biosecurity restrictions on US beef as it seeks a way to dampen the blow of President Donald Trump's volatile tariff regime.
Australia has been mulling over the move for months after Mr Trump requested a lift on the ban, and Agriculture Minister Julie Collins stressed the decision follows a decade-long science-based review.
Cattle Australia CEO Will Evans believed the move would not have been made unless the government had the utmost confidence in the science, but said some would still be unhappy with its decision.
"There's going to be a lot of people today who feel blindsided by this, there's going to be a lot of people who are going to feel really frustrated and threatened by this," he told ABC radio.
"We need to talk to them.
"The US is an incredibly important trading partner - we need to maintain access and we need to maintain relationships with them."
Some have raised worries US beef could impact Australia's domestic market, industry representatives remain relatively unperturbed.
"It's a bit like selling ice to Eskimos," Australian Meat Industry Council CEO Tim Ryan told ABC.
The domestic beef industry is self-sufficient and any imports of US beef are "unlikely to have any effect on the market here", Mr Evans said.
The US can't even meet its own needs, he noted, and remains one of the main export markets for Australian beef.
Likewise, Australian beef is one of the country's biggest exports to the US and was worth $14 billion in 2024.
But the US president has taken issue with the perceived one-sidedness of this relationship, saying in April, "they won't take any of our beef".
The US has been able to send beef to Australia since 2019, though any beef raised in Canada or Mexico before being slaughtered and processed in the US was previously barred due to biosecurity concerns.
One concern was that Mexico's livestock tracking system could inadvertently lead producers to import beef from parts of the continent where there were disease outbreaks.
But the latest announcement will lift the ban on beef sourced from Canada or Mexico after the US introduced more robust movement controls in late 2024 and early 2025, allowing for improved identification and tracing throughout the supply chain.
"We have not compromised on biosecurity," Ms Collins told reporters in Canberra.
"Australia stands for open and fair trade - our cattle industry has significantly benefited from this.
"(The department) is satisfied the strengthened control measures put in place by the US effectively manage biosecurity risks."
The change is widely viewed as a bargaining chip Australia could use while attempting to push for tariff exemptions from the US.
Nationals Leader David Littleproud said he held concerns about its "swiftness".
"It looks as though it's been traded away to appease Donald Trump, and that's what we don't want," he told ABC radio.
Opposition trade spokesman Kevin Hogan also said there are more questions to be answered and maintained the government needed to ensure biosecurity protocols had not been weakened.
Ms Collins insists the decision has been part of a years-long science-based process that precedes Mr Trump's tariffs.
Many Australian goods sent to the US currently face the baseline 10 per cent tariff, while steel and aluminium products have been slapped with a 50 per cent tariff.
Mr Trump has also threatened a tariff on pharmaceutical imports to the US, which is one of Australia's biggest exports to its ally.
Australian cattle producers have been left blindsided by a decision to lift a ban on US beef, but the level of American product arriving in Australia is expected to be very low.
The federal government on Thursday revealed it would lift biosecurity restrictions on US beef as it seeks a way to dampen the blow of President Donald Trump's volatile tariff regime.
Australia has been mulling over the move for months after Mr Trump requested a lift on the ban, and Agriculture Minister Julie Collins stressed the decision follows a decade-long science-based review.
Cattle Australia CEO Will Evans believed the move would not have been made unless the government had the utmost confidence in the science, but said some would still be unhappy with its decision.
"There's going to be a lot of people today who feel blindsided by this, there's going to be a lot of people who are going to feel really frustrated and threatened by this," he told ABC radio.
"We need to talk to them.
"The US is an incredibly important trading partner - we need to maintain access and we need to maintain relationships with them."
Some have raised worries US beef could impact Australia's domestic market, industry representatives remain relatively unperturbed.
"It's a bit like selling ice to Eskimos," Australian Meat Industry Council CEO Tim Ryan told ABC.
The domestic beef industry is self-sufficient and any imports of US beef are "unlikely to have any effect on the market here", Mr Evans said.
The US can't even meet its own needs, he noted, and remains one of the main export markets for Australian beef.
Likewise, Australian beef is one of the country's biggest exports to the US and was worth $14 billion in 2024.
But the US president has taken issue with the perceived one-sidedness of this relationship, saying in April, "they won't take any of our beef".
The US has been able to send beef to Australia since 2019, though any beef raised in Canada or Mexico before being slaughtered and processed in the US was previously barred due to biosecurity concerns.
One concern was that Mexico's livestock tracking system could inadvertently lead producers to import beef from parts of the continent where there were disease outbreaks.
But the latest announcement will lift the ban on beef sourced from Canada or Mexico after the US introduced more robust movement controls in late 2024 and early 2025, allowing for improved identification and tracing throughout the supply chain.
"We have not compromised on biosecurity," Ms Collins told reporters in Canberra.
"Australia stands for open and fair trade - our cattle industry has significantly benefited from this.
"(The department) is satisfied the strengthened control measures put in place by the US effectively manage biosecurity risks."
The change is widely viewed as a bargaining chip Australia could use while attempting to push for tariff exemptions from the US.
Nationals Leader David Littleproud said he held concerns about its "swiftness".
"It looks as though it's been traded away to appease Donald Trump, and that's what we don't want," he told ABC radio.
Opposition trade spokesman Kevin Hogan also said there are more questions to be answered and maintained the government needed to ensure biosecurity protocols had not been weakened.
Ms Collins insists the decision has been part of a years-long science-based process that precedes Mr Trump's tariffs.
Many Australian goods sent to the US currently face the baseline 10 per cent tariff, while steel and aluminium products have been slapped with a 50 per cent tariff.
Mr Trump has also threatened a tariff on pharmaceutical imports to the US, which is one of Australia's biggest exports to its ally.
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Speaking to British broadcaster Piers Morgan, Mr Trump's personal lawyer turned White House counsellor Alina Habba was unequivocal in saying more files would be released. 'America needs to remember one thing: we are going to be 'promises made, promises kept',' said Ms Habba. 'I believe in accountability.' She alluded to charges being brought against individuals other than Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell in the future, saying people would 'go through their time in court'. March 1 'We will get everything. We will have it in our possession. We will redact it, of course, to protect grand jury information and confidential witnesses. But (the) American people have a right to know.' Another quote from Ms Bondi, from another Fox News interview, during which she assured viewers they would eventually see the 'full Epstein files'. March 3 'It's a new administration, and everything is going to come out to the public. The public has the right to know. Americans have the right to know.' Same person, same place. April 22 '100 per cent of all of these documents are being delivered.' This one comes from Donald Trump, speaking to reporters in the Oval Office. May 7 'There are tens of thousands of videos of Epstein with children, or child porn, and there are hundreds of victims.' Ms Bondi was asked to respond to the concerns of Republican Congressman James Comer, who had told a podcast he thought the Justice Department 'does not have' relevant Epstein documents, and that was why 'they have not been released'. The Attorney-General said FBI officers were still working through 'the volume' of material. She said that process was taking time and that – not reluctance – was the reason for her delay in releasing more files. May, exact date unknown According to The Wall Street Journal, Ms Bondi briefed Mr Trump on the files at some point in May and told him his name appeared in them multiple times. She told the President a number of other high profile figures were mentioned too. 'Officials said it was a routine briefing that covered a number of topics, and that Trump's appearance in the documents wasn't the focus,' The Journal reported. At this meeting, Ms Bondi also relayed the decision of senior Justice Department officials to not proceed with releasing more Epstein files to the public. Mr Trump reportedly said he would defer to that decision. May 18 'I'm not going to tell people what they want to hear. I'm going to tell you the truth. And whether you like it or not is up to you. If there was a big, explosive 'there' there, we would have told you.' Mr Patel and his deputy Dan Bongino, both appointed by Mr Trump, did a joint TV interview in which they told viewers Epstein did kill himself in prison. Both men had previously stoked conspiracy theories suggesting he was murdered. 'I have reviewed the case. Jeffrey Epstein killed himself. There's no evidence in the case file indicating otherwise,' Mr Bongino added in a social media post. 'I'm not asking you to believe me. I'm telling you what exists and what doesn't.' May 19 'I know the Attorney-General has committed to releasing those files. I would defer you to the Department of Justice on her timeline. But when she has made a promise in the past, she has kept it, and I'm certain that she will in this case as well.' This was White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, referring to Ms Bondi. May 29 'There is nothing in the file at this point.' Mr Bongino again said that Epstein killed himself, and promised the government would soon release new video footage from the prison on the night he died. 'I'm just telling you what I see in the file,' he told Fox News. 'I just want to be crystal clear on this. I'm not asking anyone to believe me. I'm telling you what's there and what isn't. 'There is nothing in the file at this point, on the Epstein case, and there is going to be a disclosure on this coming shortly. 'We are working through some – there is video. That is something the public does not have.' This video would later be released, but as minutes were missing from it, and the camera in question was not actually pointing at Epstein's cell, it was not enough to satisfy sceptics. June 4 'On the Epstein files, listen, I know this is a hot potato for folks. I totally understand. My comments were clear. I'm not paid for my opinions anymore.' Mr Bongino, there – again during a Fox News appearance – was alluding to his previous job as a right-wing podcaster. Host Sean Hannity had pressed him on 'the Epstein file issue', saying his viewers wanted 'answers' on the case. 'The evidence we have in our files clearly indicates that it was, in fact, a suicide,' Mr Bongino told him. The Deputy Director did not address the Epstein files more broadly. June 5 'Time to drop the really big bomb: Donald Trump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public.' The billionaire Elon Musk, in the middle of an acrimonious exit from the Trump administration after his stint running the cost-cutting 'department' DOGE, sent out this inflammatory tweet. Mr Musk, who was Mr Trump's largest political donor by far during last year's election campaign, has a rather long history of making extreme claims about those with whom he is feuding. So the credibility of his claim was hard to gauge. He later deleted it. June 6 'We're not going to push that s*** back out there. It's not happening, because then he wins. Not doing it. You want to hate me for it, fine.' This was Mr Patel, on Joe Rogan's podcast. And the 'he' in question was Epstein. The FBI Director told listeners 'we're going to give you everything we can', but was quite obviously downplaying expectations. July 7 'No further disclosure would be appropriate or warranted.' This was the turning point, regarding public opinion. In a memo, signed by no one, the Department of Justice and FBI announced they were essentially closing the Epstein case, and no third parties would be pursued. 'The files relating to Epstein include a large volume of images of Epstein, images and videos of victims who are either minors or appear to be minors, and over 10,000 downloaded videos and images of illegal child sex abuse material and other pornography,' the memo said. 'Teams of agents, analysts, attorneys, and privacy and civil liberties experts combed through the evidence, with the aim of providing as much information as possible to the public while simultaneously protecting victims. 'Through this review, we found no basis to revisit the disclosure of those materials, and will not permit the release of child pornography. 'The systematic review revealed no incriminating 'client list'. There was also no credible evidence found that Epstein blackmailed prominent individuals as part of his actions. We did not uncover evidence that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties. 'One of our highest priorities is combating child exploitation and bringing justice to victims. Perpetuating unfounded theories about Epstein serves neither of those ends. 'To that end, while we have laboured to provide the public with maximum information regarding Epstein and ensured examination of any evidence in the government's possession, it is the determination of the Department of Justice and the FBI that no further disclosure would be appropriate or warranted.' July 8 'Are you still talking about Jeffrey Epstein? This guy's been talked about for years.' Mr Trump was incredulous when asked about the Epstein case by reporters. 'Are people still talking about this guy? This creep? That is unbelievable,' he said. 'I mean, I can't believe you're asking a question on Epstein at a time like this.' The remarks came during devastating floods in Texas. July 15 'No. No. She's given us just a very quick briefing, and in terms of the credibility of the different things that they've seen.' Mr Trump was asked, directly, whether Ms Bondi told him he was in the Epstein files. He denied it, without any qualification. He was also asked to explain why his own supporters were still talking about Epstein. 'I don't understand it, why they would be so interested. He's dead for a long time. He was never a big factor, in terms of life,' said Mr Trump. 'I don't understand what the interest or the fascination is. I really don't.' July 16 'Their new SCAM is what we will forever call the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax, and my PAST supporters have bought into this 'bulls***' hook, line and sinker.' The President escalated his rhetoric the next day in a lengthy social media post, telling his fans he no longer wanted their support if they cared about the Epstein 'hoax'. 'They haven't learned their lesson, and probably never will, even after being conned by the Lunatic Left for eight long years,' said Mr Trump. 'I have had more success in six months than perhaps any President in our Country's history, and all these people want to talk about, with strong prodding by the Fake News and the success starved Dems, is the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax. 'Let these weaklings continue forward and do the Democrats work, don't even think about talking of our incredible and unprecedented success, because I don't want their support anymore!' July 17 'Ridiculous amount of publicity.' After The Wall Street Journal revealed a note Mr Trump wrote Epstein to mark his 50th birthday in 2003, the President instructed the Justice Department to move to unseal the grand jury transcripts from the government's prosecution of both Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. 'Based on the ridiculous amount of publicity given to Jeffrey Epstein, I have asked Attorney-General Pam Bondi to produce any and all pertinent Grand Jury testimony, subject to Court approval,' he wrote on social media. 'This SCAM, perpetuated by the Democrats, should end, right now!' He claimed not to have written the note to Epstein: a naked woman's body, drawn in marker pen, with Mr Trump's name signed in an imitation of her pubic hair. The strange note ended with the line: 'May every day be another beautiful secret.' Mr Trump also announced his intention to sue the newspaper for its reporting. July 23
