Australia’s prime minister, Anthony Albanese, said Sunday that the decision to ease restrictions on U.S. beef imports was not influenced by U.S. President Donald Trump. The curbs, which have been in place since 2003 due to concerns over mad cow disease, were relaxed following a lengthy 10-year review process. Albanese emphasized that the change was not political and that Trump had not brought up the matter during recent phone discussions.
The easing comes amid heightened trade tensions and follows comments from U.S. agriculture officials praising the move as a win for Trump. Australia’s agriculture minister pointed to a thorough science-based assessment that found U.S. biosecurity measures effective in managing risks. Despite the policy change, experts say it’s unlikely to lead to a major increase in U.S. beef exports to Australia because Australia is a leading beef producer with lower prices. Last year, Australia exported nearly 400,000 metric tons of beef to the U.S., while U.S. exports to Australia were minimal.