Comments attributable to NFF President, David Jochinke
The National Farmers' Federation (NFF) acknowledges the Australian Government has lifted trade restrictions on beef from cattle raised in Mexico or Canada, and processed in the United States, and subsequently exported to Australia.
The US has had access to the Australian market since 2019, provided it could verify its beef came from cattle born, raised, and slaughtered in the US.
The report released today is the result of a long-standing, science-based review by the Australian Government into the biosecurity risks posed by cattle raised in Canada and Mexico, but processed in and exported from the US.
The NFF's been clear that the revised request from the US needed to undergo the standard, science-based assessment to protect our biosecurity, and should be dealt with separate from any tariff negotiations. The Australian Government has assured industry that they have undertaken the standard, science-based review process to protect Australia's biosecurity.
Australia's relationship with the US is deep and multi-faceted, underpinned by the Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement.
Free and fair trade relies on the reciprocal recognition of trusted standards and processes between trading partners.
