“Why take that risk?” Gippsland farmer questions government's decision to let in US beef
The change, announced in July, means such imports will be allowed into Australia for the first time since 2003.
Jacob Wallace
August 13, 2025
The federal government’s decision to lift long-standing restrictions and allow North American beef – including cattle born in the US, Canada and Mexico – to enter the country has raised biosecurity eyebrows in Gippsland.
The change, announced in July, means such imports will be allowed for the first time in more than 20 years.
Seventh-generation Gippsland beef farmer and owner of Bowman Performance Genetics, Glenn Bowman, is concerned about biosecurity risks, saying it would be “catastrophic” if foot and mouth entered Australia via North America.
“It seems strange that they put us through all the hoops of having the strongest biosecurity and lifetime traceable cattle supply chain, and yet they can open it up to countries that don't have those same measures,” Bowman told the Gippsland Monitor.
He said Australian cattle standards are something “we pride ourselves on as a nation - the clean, green image, free of most diseases … why take that risk on such a small import?”.
Australia exported a record volume of red meat in 2024, including 1.34 million tonnes of beef, according to Meat & Livestock Australia.
Bowman said he was confused as to why the government had made the decision and considered it “a bit of a knee jerk reaction”.
The federal government claims there is no risk to Australia’s disease-free status.
