Australia to ease restrictions on U.S. beef imposed over mad cow disease

Melbourne, Australia — Australia announced it will reduce restrictions on U.S. beef imports in a move President Trump's administration claimed as a major victory over "non-scientific trade barriers" to trade.

Agriculture Minister Julie Collins said Thursday that relaxing the restrictions designed to keep Australia free of mad cow disease, also known as bovine spongiform encephalopathy or BSE, would not compromise biosecurity.

"Australia stands for open and free trade — our cattle industry has significantly benefited from this," Collins said in a statement.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins responded to Australia's announcement by congratulating Mr. Trump on a "major trade breakthrough that gives greater access to U.S. beef producers selling to Australia."

She issued a statement under the headline: "Make Agriculture Great Again Trade Wins."

"American farmers and ranchers produce the safest, healthiest beef in the world. It's absurd that non-scientific trade barriers prevented our beef from being sold to consumers in Australia for the last 20 years," Rollins said. "Gone are the days of putting American farmers on the sidelines. This is yet another example of the kind of market access the President negotiates to bring America into a new golden age of prosperity, with American agriculture leading the way."