03-04-2025
Will Trump's tariffs make US hamburgers more expensive?
STORY: They are a key ingredient in a beloved U.S. cuisine but are about to become more expensive.
Australian beef farmers, traders and industry groups said on Thursday they would pass on the extra costs of 10% U.S. tariffs to the American consumer.
"They are completely reliant on our grassfed beef.''
With their product prized by U.S. fast food chains, Cattle Australia chair Garry Edwards says hungry customers will feel the impact.
''It's simply going to push up the price of food and that's really not a win for anyone, it's an inflationary impact and I can't imagine that the American consumer is going to like paying more for their burgers or their steaks for the foreseeable future."
With an identical tariff applied to fellow market competitors, live stock agent Dhugald McDowell doesn't see the logic.
''Okay, so we're all at 10% it really doesn't change anything. What it does make, however, the commodity that's going into America a lot dearer for their own consumers. So I think in the short term, it could be quite an detrimental to the U.S. economy.'
U.S. fast food chains uses Australian beef for its lower fat content.
It is then combined with fattier U.S. beef to produce hamburgers with the ideal fat content.
Australia exports $2.52 billion of beef annually to the United States - its largest market.
But has banned fresh U.S. beef since 2003 due to the detection of mad cow disease in U.S. cattle.
That drew the ire of Trump, who said Australia "won't take any of our beef" as he announced tariffs on the country.
Edwards says there would be no compromise on Australia's biosecurity laws.
"They have market access already to Australia, they have simply chosen not to meet the compliance requirements."
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Thursday the government would provide support to industries impacted by the U.S. tariffs to sell into alternative markets.
Something graziers like James Fitzpatrick in the cattle yard want to see.
'There's a worldwide market out there. Why are we focusing just on the one market?'
