R-CALF USA: Put America’s cattle producers first

President Donald Trump called out Australia for its policy of allowing imports of U.S. beef only if the beef came from cattle born and raised in the United States.

In other words, Australia was allowing U.S. beef to be imported, but only if the beef was exclusively U.S. beef — not beef from cattle that had been imported from Mexico or Canada.

On average, Australia imported about 1.8 million pounds of beef each year from the United States over the past 10 years. That’s roughly the live cattle equivalent of about 2,250 head of cattle per year, based on an 800-pound carcass weight.

So, that must have been beef exclusively from U.S. cattle. So, what was the problem with that?

Well, the problem was that global packers did not appreciate Australia’s restrictions. They wanted to ship beef from all cattle slaughtered in the United States, including cattle imported from Mexico and Canada.

It’s most likely the global packers lobbied the president to lift Australia’s restrictions. It’s also likely that domestic cattle feeders whose business plans include feeding imported Mexican and Canadian cattle sided with the global packers.

In response to President Trump calling them out on their restrictive import policy, Australia capitulated and removed the restriction — thus allowing global packers to ship beef from U.S., Mexican and Canadian cattle to Australia.

Interestingly, an industry media report indicated that major retailers in Australia, including McDonald’s, didn’t like their government’s concession.

Several retailers have reportedly committed to continuing to source beef that is exclusively born and raised by Australia’s cattle producers.

So, hold on here. It seems the Australian cattle and beef industries have an “Australia First” policy when it comes to beef imports.

And it seems Australians can make their own choice as to where they want their beef produced because Australia has a mandatory country-of-origin labeling requirement for beef sold at retail.

Why is it, then, that America’s cattle and beef industries don’t have a comparable “America First” policy when it comes to imports? And why doesn’t the United States have a requirement for mandatory country-of-origin labeling, or MCOOL, on beef?

Here’s the reason: It’s because the global packers and their allies — who were powerful enough to convince the president that Australia should buy whatever beef the global packers want to sell to them — are the same political powerhouses that want to continue importing cheaper cattle and beef to sell to the American public without allowing the public to know where the beef they buy for their families is coming from.

The point here is not that the United States should be more like Australia. The point is that our great nation should have long been putting our domestic cattle producers and our citizens first.

The United States should be allowing our domestic producers to compete in American grocery stores with the superior beef produced from their cattle.

And American shoppers should be accorded the right to choose from which country they want their beef produced.

The Australian example merely provides insight into why America has not already done this.

Mandatory country-of-origin labeling empowers independent producers to compete — but that very competition is contrary to the interests of the global packers, who make more money when consumers know less about what they’re buying.

Fortunately, there are some leaders in Congress who are willing to stand up to MCOOL’s powerful opponents. They have cosponsored the American Beef Labeling Act of 2025, S. 421.

And they include Sens. John Thune and Mike Rounds of South Dakota, Cory Booker of New Jersey, Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico, John Hoeven of North Dakota and John Fetterman of Pennsylvania.

This is a bipartisan group of senators, which proves MCOOL is neither a Republican nor Democrat issue. It is an American issue, with its supporters being America’s cattle producers and citizens who are up against powerful globalists.

If “America First” is the goal, then the American Beef Labeling Act is an integral component. You simply can’t say you’re putting America first when you’re catering to the self-interests of global corporations.

The quickest way to pass this important legislation is to include it in the farm bill. So, even if you’ve never called, emailed or talked to your member of Congress on any other issue, now is the time to do so.

Tell them to put America’s cattle producers and citizens first by supporting and passing the American Beef Labeling Act.

It’s going to take all of us to get this much-needed legislation across the finish line — and with your help, we will succeed.

To reach your members of Congress, call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask for each of your members by name.