Aussie farmers will be hit hard after US President Donald Trump’s recent announcement of a 10 per cent reciprocal tariff on Australian imports.
The Red Meat Advisory Council (RMAC) highlighted Australian beef’s key role in the US food supply, featured in around 6 billion hamburgers annually.
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This move follows concerns raised by former President Donald Trump, who criticised Australia’s ban on uncooked US beef during his Liberation Day speech.
Despite these comments, it was confirmed that Australian beef will continue to be imported into the US, as the ban on fresh US beef in Australia is due to biosecurity risks.
Former NSW Farmers president and cattle producer James Jackson said that any breach of Australia’s strict biosecurity standards would be dangerous.
He warned that an outbreak of disease could devastate the local livestock industry, disrupt sales, and lead to the culling of cattle, threatening the financial stability of farmers and meat processors.
“A lot of farmers would go broke, as well as a lot of meat processors,” Jackson said.
“We wouldn’t agree to trade away [biosecurity] standards to get access to a market.”
Xavier Martin, President of NSW Farmers, expressed disappointment over the tariff.
“A tit-for-tat approach with the US serves no purpose,” Martin said.
Martin said that the high demand for Australian-produced meat is a result of its exceptional quality.
He acknowledged that while some commodities might be more affected than others, Australian farmers have historically navigated trade challenges and will continue to do so.
“What these tariffs mean in the short term is that Australia invests in these new market opportunities while our farmers continue to do what they do best: pull on their boots and grow healthy plants and animals.”
They estimated that tariffs on Australian red meat could cost American consumers approximately AU$600 million.
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