Overview

• The government lifted the remaining restrictions on U.S. beef on July 23 after a decade-long review found U.S. cattle traceability and surveillance meet Australia’s biosecurity standards.
• Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the decision was not political and that President Trump never raised the beef issue in any phone call.
• Trade Minister Don Farrell admitted he was mistaken when he claimed President Trump had personally lobbied Prime Minister Albanese to remove the ban.
• Opposition parties have called for both a Senate inquiry and an independent scientific review, citing concerns over the timing and potential political influence behind the move.
• Analysts predict U.S. beef imports will stay negligible given Australia’s strong domestic production and lower prices, a view echoed by farmers who label the change largely symbolic.