2LT International News

SYDNEY, Australia: Australia will not ease its strict biosecurity rules during trade talks with the United States, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said..

He spoke ahead of a possible meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at the G7 summit later this month.

Since 2003, Australia has limited the entry of U.S. beef due to concerns about mad cow disease. However, Australia still exports about A$4 billion (US$2.6 billion) worth of beef each year to the U.S., its biggest market.

“We will not change or compromise on biosecurity—period. It’s simply not worth the risk,” Albanese told ABC Radio.

In April, Trump criticized Australian beef while announcing a 10 percent base tariff on all imports.

While years of dry weather have reduced the number of cattle in the U.S. to the lowest since the 1950s, Australia has an abundant supply thanks to wet weather. This gives Australia an edge with lower prices, and leaner beef cuts that the U.S. lacks.

A report in the Sydney Morning Herald on June 6 said that Australian officials were reviewing a U.S. request to allow beef from cattle raised in Mexico and Canada but processed in the U.S. Albanese firmly denied this, saying those products still pose risks to Australia’s cattle industry.

Australia is one of the few countries with which the U.S. usually has a trade surplus—a point Australian officials often raise when arguing against Trump’s tariffs. In January, Australia posted a rare trade surplus with the U.S., driven by high gold exports amid global uncertainty.

Albanese said he looked forward to meeting Trump in person, though no date was confirmed.

“We’ve had three talks that were constructive, polite, and respectful. That’s how I engage with people,” he said.

He added that Australia isn’t the only one being treated unfairly and that U.S. trade policies affect many other countries.