As Trump prepares new tariffs, this beef-farmer congressman has singled out Australian Wagyu

A Republican cattle-rancher congressman has launched a invoice recommending a 70 per cent tariff on Australian Wagyu beef — a part of an intensifying American push to stress Australia over meat commerce. 

The US beef trade is hoping to capitalise on Donald Trump’s commerce conflict to squeeze a greater deal out of Australia, because the US president finalises a brand new spherical of tariffs set to take impact subsequent week.

Marlin Stutzman, an Indiana congressman and Wagyu farmer, helps to steer the cost with the newly launched “Shield American Beef” invoice.

It singles out Australia as a very unfair commerce associate due to biosecurity limitations that block US imports, in addition to an unfavourable forex alternate fee.

“Australia is producing a variety of Wagyu and transport it right here, and it is an un-level taking part in area with the forex distinction and the truth that we will not have a reciprocal relationship,” Mr Stutzman instructed the ABC.

The invoice is unlikely to move into legislation — fewer than 6 per cent of payments do — and, in any case, Mr Trump has been bypassing Congress and implementing commerce coverage by way of government orders from the White Home.

However the transfer is reflective of wider trade efforts to get Australian meat on Mr Trump’s listing of future tariffs, and to pursue all avenues to chill out Australian restrictions on importing US beef. 

Some within the trade additionally need Mr Trump to contemplate new quotas on Australian beef imports.

American producers have been unable to export raw beef to Australia since 2003, due to fears over mad cow illness. The People argue the dangers at the moment are negligible, and Australia is utilizing biosecurity as an excuse.

“We understood it [the ban] on the time,” Mr Stutzman mentioned.

“However 20 years later, it is like, you are still not letting us ship our beef again there.

“And so it simply looks as if the Australian authorities took benefit of the scenario and by no means opened up the channels for beef to return to Australia.”

America’s Nationwide Cattlemen’s Beef Affiliation can be pushing for the US to get robust on Australia, accusing it of utilizing a “myriad of sanitary issues and infinite bureaucratic crimson tape to delay the approval of US beef”.

“This isn’t how allies and commerce companions ought to behave,” the foyer group wrote in a submission to a congressional subcommittee on commerce this week. “If the Australians won’t settle for our beef merchandise, then it’s only honest that we reciprocate.”

In 2024, Australia exported virtually 400,000 tonnes of beef to the US, in response to Meat and Livestock Australia, making it Australia’s largest beef export market.

American trade teams say Australia is now additionally promoting extra Wagyu beef within the US than American producers.

Cattle Australia has described Australia’s biosecurity necessities as non-negotiable and “utterly unrelated” to debates over US tariffs or market entry.

Mr Trump has already launched tariffs on all imported aluminium and metal – angering the Australian authorities – in addition to overseas automobiles, and a variety of merchandise from China, Canada and Mexico.

His subsequent spherical of tariffs, scheduled to come back in on April 2, are set to focus on international locations that Mr Trump feels have unfair commerce imbalances with the US, however he has not introduced specifics.

American enterprise curiosity teams have been lobbying for tariffs or different measures to punish and stress Australia on issues starting from the Pharmaceutical Advantages Scheme to proposed tech rules.

Commerce Minister Don Farrell not too long ago warned that US tariffs on Australian beef would penalise People by pushing up the costs of fashionable merchandise like Large Macs. The majority of Australian beef exported to the US is utilized in hamburgers.

Ambassador Kevin Rudd has been main efforts in Washington to influence the White Home to not additional tariff Australian imports, arguing Australia’s years of commerce deficits with the US imply they’re unjustified.

However the US’s “new Trumpian worldview” meant it was being “hardline and transactional in its strategy”, Mr Rudd instructed 7.30 earlier this month.

Australia’s Division of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry mentioned it might “proceed to work with United States counterparts to progress our respective market entry priorities”.

“Australia has a robust observe report of managing commerce issues according to our pursuits and in step with our commitments in our free commerce settlement with america,” a spokesperson mentioned.