Australia says it will ease up its restrictions on U.S. beef imports. The country’s ag minister made the announcement this week, potentially smoothing trade talks with U.S. President Donald Trump, who was unhappy about the beef import blockage. Reuters said it’s unlikely to significantly boost shipments because beef prices are a lot lower in Australia. The country’s ag minister said a rigorous science and risk-based assessment had found that U.S. measures monitoring and controlling the movement of cattle mean that biosecurity risks are effectively being managed. “The government will never compromise on biosecurity,” said Ag Minister Julie Collins. “Australia stands for open and fair trade, and our cattle industry has significantly benefited from this.” U.S. beef has been allowed into Australia since 2019, but few suppliers could prove their animals had only been in the U.S., because cattle frequently move between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico without being adequately tracked.
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