SYDNEY (Reuters) -Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Sunday that a decision to ease rules on beef imports from the U.S. was not prompted by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Trump this week said the U.S. would sell “so much” beef to Australia after Canberra announced the relaxation of restrictions, potentially smoothing trade talks with Washington.
In place since 2003, the curbs were due to concerns about bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), or mad cow disease, which can kill cattle as well as people who eat infected beef.
When asked on Sunday if the easing had anything to do with Trump, Albanese said “No, this has been a process that has been there for 10 years, the review process”.
“This wasn’t a political decision,” Albanese said in remarks on Australian Broadcasting Corp television, adding that Trump had not raised the issue with him in a phone call.
The comments come after U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins called the easing a win for Trump. In April, Trump singled out the beef trade disparity with Australia after Australia’s beef exports to the U.S. surged last year, reaching A$4 billion amid a slump in U.S. beef production.
By contrast, Australia’s agriculture minister said the rules were relaxed after a “rigorous science and risk-based assessment” concluded that U.S. measures to monitor and control cattle movement were effectively managing biosecurity risks.
News of Australia changing its policy was first reported by the Australian Financial Review. The report said Australia will use the easing of rules to argue its case for the U.S. to wind back 50% tariffs on steel and aluminium and Trump’s threat to impose a 200% tariff on pharmaceuticals. Collins said the decision was a purely scientific one.
A loosening of beef import rules is not expected to boost significantly U.S. shipments because Australia is a major beef producer and exporter whose prices are much lower, according to analysts.
(Reporting by Sam McKeith in Sydney; Editing by David Gregorio)
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