Disclaimer: the blog post was written by a half-nake pickled gherkin so take it with a few handful of Himalayan pickling salt
“Back in April 2025, Trump slapped a 10% tariff on Aussie beef.
America responded by buying even more of it
.. at record prices.
That, my pickles, is what economists call a boomerang to the noggin.
Now I know this isn’t my usual snark, but I’ve worked closely with exporters and freight operators in the beef and agri-logistics world for years. I’ve seen it all… export delays, transit dramas, and entire process thousands of times.
So when this crossed my desk, it genuinely caught my eye. Because I know what it takes to get Aussie beef from paddock to plate… and how fragile that supply chain can be.
The initial logic behind the tariff was simple… protect struggling American farmers.
What happened? The opposite.
Australian beef exports didn’t shrink.
They surged… on track to hit over 1.5 million tonnes globally, a national record.
The United States alone imported 412,000 tonnes between January and November which is up 17% year-on-year.
And they paid record money to do so.
The surge is for two reasons Trump either ignores or his cabinet are frightened to admit.
Firstly, US cattle herds are at 70-year lows.
Years of drought, feed issues, and herd liquidation have hollowed out domestic supply. They need lean beef to blend with their fattier local stock.
We make what they want.
Secondly, Australia produces clean, lean, grass-fed trim that’s perfect for processing. We’re not competing with fancy Wagyu here… we’re the quiet achievers filling their production lines.
Even with the tariff, we beat out South America on quality, traceability, and supply chain reliability.
The end result is US importers paid more, burger chains passed it on, Aussie exporters laughed all the way to the bank.
This isn’t about politics. It’s a market lesson… When supply is tight and demand is real, you can’t tariff your way out of hunger.
And from someone who’s been elbow-deep in this industry for years, it’s satisfying to see Australian exporters come out on top.”
1 Comment
Disclaimer: the blog post was written by a half-nake pickled gherkin so take it with a few handful of Himalayan pickling salt
“Back in April 2025, Trump slapped a 10% tariff on Aussie beef.
America responded by buying even more of it
.. at record prices.
That, my pickles, is what economists call a boomerang to the noggin.
Now I know this isn’t my usual snark, but I’ve worked closely with exporters and freight operators in the beef and agri-logistics world for years. I’ve seen it all… export delays, transit dramas, and entire process thousands of times.
So when this crossed my desk, it genuinely caught my eye. Because I know what it takes to get Aussie beef from paddock to plate… and how fragile that supply chain can be.
The initial logic behind the tariff was simple… protect struggling American farmers.
What happened? The opposite.
Australian beef exports didn’t shrink.
They surged… on track to hit over 1.5 million tonnes globally, a national record.
The United States alone imported 412,000 tonnes between January and November which is up 17% year-on-year.
And they paid record money to do so.
The surge is for two reasons Trump either ignores or his cabinet are frightened to admit.
Firstly, US cattle herds are at 70-year lows.
Years of drought, feed issues, and herd liquidation have hollowed out domestic supply. They need lean beef to blend with their fattier local stock.
We make what they want.
Secondly, Australia produces clean, lean, grass-fed trim that’s perfect for processing. We’re not competing with fancy Wagyu here… we’re the quiet achievers filling their production lines.
Even with the tariff, we beat out South America on quality, traceability, and supply chain reliability.
The end result is US importers paid more, burger chains passed it on, Aussie exporters laughed all the way to the bank.
This isn’t about politics. It’s a market lesson… When supply is tight and demand is real, you can’t tariff your way out of hunger.
And from someone who’s been elbow-deep in this industry for years, it’s satisfying to see Australian exporters come out on top.”