Biosecurity Under Fire: How Aussie ‘Steak’holders Reacted to Trump Tariffs

While some have praised the move, others say they have a beef with the arrangement.

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 02: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a “Make America Wealthy Again” trade announcement event in the Rose Garden at the White House on April 2, 2025 in Washington, DC. Touting the event as “Liberation Day”, Trump is expected to announce additional tariffs targeting goods imported to the U.S. Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

The Trump administration’s “Liberation Day” global tariffs sent a shudder through the collective spines of Australian stakeholders and political leaders.

The policy establishes a 10 percent baseline tariff on all imports entering the United States, with several countries—notably in Asia—singled out for higher tariffs.

A White House fact sheet notes that the reciprocal tariffs are not just targeting formal tariffs set up by partner nations, but also “non-tariff barriers” including regulation or policy “meant to limit the quantity of imports/exports and protect domestic industries” that were deemed to deprive U.S. exporters access.

While Australia emerged largely unscathed with the United States slapping the baseline 10 percent tariff on its exports, its beef industry was mentioned by the U.S. president.

“Australians ... they’re wonderful people, wonderful everything, but they ban American beef,” Trump told reporters on March 2. “Yet we imported US$3 billion of Australian beef from them just last year alone.”

In 2003, Australia shut the door on U.S. beef imports amid fears of bovine spongiform encephalopathy—better known as mad cow disease—a claim the White House called “unsubstantiated” when referring to Argentinian authorities barring U.S. beef on similar grounds.

Currently, U.S. beef is not blocked from entering the country, but is subject to assessment.

President Donald Trump holds up a copy of a 2025 National Trade Estimate Report as he speaks during a “Make America Wealthy Again” trade announcement event in the Rose Garden at the White House on April 2, 2025 Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese Says ‘Not the Act of a Friend’

In response, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the tariffs went against the relationship between the two countries.

“President Trump referred to reciprocal tariffs—a reciprocal tariff would be zero, not 10 percent,” he claimed.

“The administration’s tariffs have no basis in logic and they go against the basis of our two nations’ partnership.

“This is not the act of a friend.”

Albanese said the tariff would add to global economic uncertainty and push up costs in the United States.

Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese addresses the media at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia on March 28, 2025. Hilary Wardhaugh/Getty Images

“Our existing Free Trade Agreement with the United States contains dispute resolution mechanisms,” Albanese said.

The prime minister announced a $50 million fund to help agricultural exporters find new markets.

“We will establish a new economic resilience program through our National Reconstruction Fund. This will provide $1 billion in zero-interest loans for firms to capitalise on new export opportunities,” Albanese said.

“Just as we are already encouraging more people to buy Australian, our Labor government will buy Australian, too.”

Cattle Australia Says Mexican, Canadian-Born Beef an Issue

Cattle Australia emphasised to graziers there was no ban on exporting to the U.S.

But Cattle Australia chief executive, Dr. Chris Parker, said the logic for the new tariff was flawed and failed to recognise that the United States had access to the Australian market since 2019, provided it could demonstrate its beef came from cattle that was born, raised, and slaughtered in the States.

A California rancher walks through his herd of beef cattle on a ranch that has been family-owned for five generations, on the outskirts of Delano, in Calif., on Feb. 3, 2014. Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images

“These are the same conditions that the U.S. imposes on Australian exporters—reciprocal arrangements are already in place,” Parker said.

“The U.S. industry has not been able to meet these standards and now wish to include beef from cattle born in Mexico and Canada.

The comments were echoed by Meat and Livestock Australia who said there was no ban on U.S. beef exports into Australia and that complete “science-based biosecurity and food safety assessments” would allow for beef from cattle born and raised in the United States.

“However, the U.S. has also asked for access to Australia for beef from cattle raised in Mexico or Canada and processed and exported from the U.S. This revised request is undergoing the normal Australian science-based assessment to protect our biosecurity.”

US Beef Association Says Australia Protected by ‘Non-Scientific Barriers’

In the United States, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane praised Trump for helping U.S. producers.

“For too long, America’s family farmers and ranchers have been mistreated by certain trading partners around the world,” he said in a statement.

“President Trump is taking action to address numerous trade barriers that prevent consumers overseas from enjoying high quality, wholesome American beef.”

Lane said the difficulties encountered by American beef were due to “non-scientific barriers,” despite the United States buying around US$29 billion worth of beef from Australia.

Meat Industry Council Sees No Major Impact for Australia

Australian Meat Industry Council CEO Tim Ryan said beef producers played an important role in feeding America and didn’t see any major changes coming any time soon.

“The global demand for high-quality Australian red meat continues to grow, and our supply chain is well-positioned to respond to shifts in the international trade landscape,” he said.

Australian Opposition Leader Says Time to ‘Negotiate Hard’

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said it was time to “negotiate hard.”

“The U.S. requires Australian beef. It’s not just that we are great producers and have found an export market—they can’t produce enough beef to satisfy domestic consumption,” Dutton said on 2GB.

“This is why I say we need to approach it sensibly, but we need to have a position here in Australia which is going to be taken seriously by the President and by the Americans.”

People First Party Leader Gerard Rennick

The new People First Party said it was vital for Australia to learn from the Trump administration to develop its own industries.

“Australia needs to focus on its own issues and rebuilding its own industrial base,” former Liberal senator now-Leader Gerard Rennick told The Epoch Times.

“We should adopt similar policies to rebuild our own manufacturing base.”

Shadow Spokesman for Trade Kevin Hogan

Shadow Spokesman for Trade and Tourism Kevin Hogan said Australia would not compromise on safety by opening up to freely importing Amercian beef while there was a concern around mad cow disease.

“It’s a biosecurity issue,” he said. “If we were to get a disease in here, it could wipe out our industry. A lot of countries do it to us. Biosecurity, very important.”

It has been more than 20 years since the United States reported a case of mad cow disease.

Greens Leader Adam Bandt

As leader of Australia’s far-left Greens party, Adam Bandt did not directly comment on the tariffs, or the beef industry.

He instead urged Australia to distance itself from its largest ally.

“Forget Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’, today should be Australia’s liberation day—when we finally liberate ourselves from being shackled too closely to Trump,” he wrote on X.

“Trump is dangerous. It’s time for Labor and Liberal to act. Let’s cancel AUKUS and set our own independent foreign policy.”

Nationals Leader David Littleproud

Nationals Leader David Littleproud favoured the path of negotiating a way out of the 10 percent.

“We should take a leadership role and be able to convince him to understand that the rules-based order of trade has served the United States well and has served Australia well.

“Last time he did this, Australian commodity prices went up, because what the world did is they traded around the United States, particularly in agricultural products, and his farmers hurt.”