INSIGHT: Australia lifts restrictions on US beef

Trade law specialist and regular DCN contributor Andrew Hudson provides clarity on today's decision by the Australian federal government to remove restrictions on US beef imports

THE AUSTRALIAN Federal Government has announced that it will remove the existing level of biosecurity restrictions on the import of US beef to allow the resumption of exports from the US.  The removal of the existing restrictions will not allow full and unregulated import of US beef as there will still be conditions on permits to be granted for the beef imports.  Applications for permits will be open from 28 July 2025.

President Trump and US authorities had raised the issue of the existing restrictions as one reason for the proposed introduction on additional tariffs on Australian exports, believing those restrictions to be unreasonable. 

An investigation by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry had commenced around 18 months ago, well before the second Trump administration taking office but the timing of the completion of the investigation and the release of this news has taken place before the US completes its decisions on reciprocal tariffs currently scheduled for announcement on 1 August 2025.  However the timing will assist on any negotiations between Australia and the US. 

The Australian Federal Government has announced that biosecurity will still be the paramount concern under the new import regime.  At the same time, Australia has also announced that it will commence direct imports of beef from Canada.