US welcomes Australia move to lift US beef trade barriers

President Donald Trump (R) delivers remarks alongside Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) .[AFP]

President Donald Trump and US trade officials on Thursday welcomed Australia's decision to ease restrictions on beef imported from the United States, which has been a sticking point for the US leader.

"After many years Australia has agreed to accept American Beef!" Trump said on social media after threatening Canberra with tariffs on beef shipped to the United States, one of its largest red meat markets.

While unveiling his "Liberation Day" tariffs in April, he singled out Australia, accusing the close ally of banning American meat while cashing in on exports to the United States.

"For a long time, and even though we are great friends, they actually banned our Beef. Now, we are going to sell so much to Australia," Trump said on his Truth Social platform.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative said the development "marks an important moment for the US-Australia trade relationship and a historic win for US ranchers."

US trade representative Jamieson Greer hailed it as a "major milestone in lowering trade barriers."

Trump has announced 10 percent baseline import duties on Australia as part of his raft of tariffs against friend and foe alike.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been unusually frank in his condemnation of Trump's trade war, calling the levies "unwarranted."

Australia's stringent biosecurity rules have for years blocked imports of cattle slaughtered in the United States, but born in Canada or Mexico.

But Canberra's agriculture minister Julie Collins said the United States had adopted new quality controls that soothed its worries.

Almost five percent of all the beef eaten in America is Australian, and that largely goes into burgers.