EU trade agreement must right the wrongs of agricultural trade imbalance

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EU trade agreement must right the wrongs of agricultural trade imbalance.

25 November 2025

By Dr Chris Parker, CA Senior Advisor

The time has come to tip the scales back in Australia’s favour after decades of agricultural trade imbalance with Europe, severely stymying our beef exports while decimating our local pork industry.

The Albanese Government and Minister Farrell have a strong record on trade negotiations, and we expect nothing less than this to continue when settling this agreement with the EU so the benefits can flow to all Australians. Industry strongly supported the government walking away from a substandard EU agreement in their last term. As an export-focussed nation, Australia needs to advocate for equivalent, rules-based, free market access, as we have done successfully many times in the past.

The trade agreement currently being negotiated between the Commonwealth and the European Union is the chance to correct an historical imbalance. Australian governments of both sides of politics by default were guilty of excessive generosity to Europe as Australia pushed an economic agenda of trade liberalisation and the removal of domestic tariffs and subsidies. And yet we have not seen the commensurate benefits provided by the EU.

For example, there is no quota limit on EU pork exports to Australia, and they incur zero tariffs, which is why imported product dominates our supermarket shelves. In 1990, when the Commonwealth began lifting biosecurity restrictions on pork imports from the likes of Denmark, there were significantly more piggeries in operation than today. In 1994-95 alone, more than 1000 piggeries closed and today there are just 4,506 registered pig production sites in all of Australia.

On the other hand, in 2019 the EU imposed changes to existing quota arrangements to specifically benefit the US, which came at the expense of market share that was held by other beef-exporting nations, including Australia.

The bottom line is Australia currently has a substantial trade deficit with the EU, and the terms of trade we have been operating under have done very little to mitigate this. This must change as the Federal Government negotiates a new agreement. Red meat access must be substantial and without impediments. If the EU insists on having quotas, then the conditions relating to these quotas must be minimal to allow for the maximum number of Australian supply chains to participate in the EU market at the lowest possible tariff rate, preferably zero.

Further commitment must also be sought from the EU to reduce its non-tariff trade barriers – an area at which the EU excels in finding new and creative ways to block access to its markets. One only has to think of the EU Deforestation Regulation, or its insistence that only beef produced without hormone growth promotants (HGPs) can access the market.

While masked by noble causes, Europe’s underlying culture of economic protectionism is the root cause of these policies. They are designed to block imports from efficient countries like Australia, or those from developing countries with lower input costs.

One crucially important condition Australian must demand is modernisation of food safety assurances by removing the EU Cattle Accreditation Scheme (EUCAS), which requires beef to be sourced from closed herd production systems, and implementing instead a HGP Freedom Assurance Scheme which allows for beef sourced from open herd production systems. The information and technical arguments to allow this have been with the EU officials for some time. It is time they acted.

Australia is a global advocate for free trade and rules-based trading systems, which has ensured our economy has continued to grow, and our agriculture sector has remained innovative and productive. The current government’s support of this and its cool head in facing the recent challenges to this, should be commended.

The scale and significance of the EU market should not be underestimated. This is a once in a generation opportunity to complete a deal that will right the wrongs of the past and create new levels of long-term demand for Australian agricultural exports.

But a continuation of one-sided deals with the EU would mean that Australia loses out on access to the world’s largest trading bloc for another generation, all the while they continue to reap the benefits of access to our markets.

ENDS

MEDIA ENQUIRIES:

Stacey Wordsworth
stacey.wordsworth@bluehillagency.com.au
0438 394 371

Michael Thomson
michael.thomson@bluehillagency.com.au
0408 819 666

Will Evans

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Will Evans brings extensive leadership, advocacy and policy experience to the role of Cattle Australia CEO.

Prior to joining CA in July 2025, he held the role of CEO of the Northern Territory Cattlemen’s Association.

Prior to leading the NTCA, Will held industry positions in the areas of policy development with the former Cattle Council of Australia and for the Northern Territory Live Exporters Association.

Garry Edwards

Managing Director and CEO, Maureen Pastoral Company

Garry was born and raised on a commercial beef cattle property south of Gloucester in New South Wales. Garry has personal cattle production interests in this region today as well as his corporate role as the Managing Director and CEO of AAM, a business that has a significant focus in continuing to expand beyond our cattle production interests in Central West NSW, near Forbes and Bective Station near Tamworth, NSW.

Garry has over 25 years’ experience in large scale livestock production management within the Australian agribusiness sector. His experience spans across a vast array of areas of the agricultural supply chain and includes managing businesses involved in livestock breeding, growing and finishing, financing of agricultural projects, implementation of precision agriculture practices, investigation and implementation of sustainability and innovation initiatives and developing and operating integrated agricultural businesses.

In 2007, Garry founded the company that today is AAM, commencing the development, operation and management of a portfolio of agricultural assets valued at $887 million and he remains the major shareholder of AAM.

Garry has a unique skill set across multiple facets of the grass-fed cattle production supply chain, from production through to finishing, as well as a unique perspective of the challenges facing all grass-fed producers within Australia through his involvement in the modernisation and development of livestock marketing facilities throughout Victoria, NSW and Queensland.

George King

Managing Director, The Whitney Pastoral Co and Manager, "Coombing Park"

George is a seventh generation Australian farmer, currently managing his family property which they have held since 1880. George operates an Angus breeding and finishing operation joining 1,500 cows per year, with a low-cost model turning off steers at feeder weights and direct sales of females.

George has long been on a regenerative agriculture path as it was the only way he could see to renovate their property 25 years ago without employed equity or working capital, which at the time they didn’t have. He continues with this model as it provides outstanding cost containments, continued production and profitability.

George is married with four (4) children, Harry 24, Emma 22, Dave 15 and Tom 13. He also enjoys flying and has his pilot’s license.

George is also a Founding Director of The Wellness House and a Founding Director of ONFARM CO. He has a strong voluntary involvement with his community including as the NSW Rural Fire Services Senior Dept Capt. and Chairman of St Paul’s Carcoar.

Bryce Camm

Grazier, camm agricultual group

Bryce Camm hails from Dalby in Queensland’s Darling Downs region where he oversees his family’s company Camm Agricultural Group; an integrated beef and cropping enterprise with interests across Queensland.

Bryce has been CEO of the group for the past eight years. Prior to that he was the Manager of the group’s award winning Wonga Plains Feedlot for eight years where he oversaw the operation triple in size. Growing up on “Natal Downs” Station in north Queensland Bryce undertook a dual degree in Business Administration and Communications at Bond University and is a graduate of the Australian Rural Leadership Program as well as the Australian Institute of Company Directors Course.

Bryce is currently the Chairman of Beef Australia Ltd and the Immediate Past President of the Australian Lot Feeders Council, as well as a previous Director of the Red Meat Advisory Council.

Elke Cleverdon

FAICD, FCPA, MBA

Elke Cleverdon is an experienced non-executive director and long-term cattle producer from Harden in regional NSW.

As Joint Owner & Director of Cleverdon Agriculture since 1993, she has managed a self-replacing Black Angus herd, raising and trading cattle with her family. Her deep connection to the land ensures she brings a genuine producer perspective to national industry leadership.

Elke has chaired Cattle Australia’s Audit & Risk Committee for the past three years, strengthening governance, financial accountability, and member confidence during a critical stage of the organisation’s development. She is passionate about ensuring producers have a strong, credible voice and that their interests are advanced in a fair, profitable, and sustainable supply chain.

Her professional background includes more than 16 years in executive leadership in customer-owned banking and eight years as a rural financial coach, supporting farming businesses across NSW. She has also been recognised nationally through the National Farmers’ Federation Diversity in Ag Leadership program.

Elke currently serves as a non-executive director with Horticulture Innovation Australia, Murrumbidgee Local Health District (NSW Health), and SWS Bank. She is a Fellow CPA, a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and holds a Master of Business Administration.

Elke brings critical thinking, strong financial and risk management skills, and a passion for strategy and sustainability. She is committed to advancing the long-term interests of Australia’s cattle producers by ensuring Cattle Australia remains a trusted, effective, and transparent advocate for the industry.

David Foote

Director - Tandarra Partners

Nominated by: Peter Hall, Troy Setter, Bryce Camm, David Hill, Adam Coffey

For the past 45 years, David has held rural property management, executive and senior management positions across all mainland states in areas of; beef cattle & sheep breeding, growing and lot feeding, meat retailing, small seed growing, irrigated fodder, and the further processing and exporting of primary products such as meat, grain and fodder.

His export experiences which started in 1989 included a role with Stanbroke Pastoral Company to help develop Stanbroke’ s Live cattle export program. Additionally, David managed the integration of Bottle Tree feedlot grain feeding in the production system while developing and launching their now globally recognised Diamantina beef brand.

David has been in a leadership role at the Lee Family’s, Australian Country Choice group of Companies since 1999 and progressed in that time from General Manager Properties & Livestock to Group Managing Director until stepping back in December 2020 from a full time role to a strategic advisory and board role.

Headquartered in Brisbane and employing over 1,400 staff across 42 operations, Australian Country Choice (ACC) operates Australia’s largest vertically integrated beef supply chain; encompassing cattle breeding, cattle growing and feedlotting to supply its integrated food processing facility in Brisbane that incorporates beef slaughter, beef boning, value-adding and case ready beef packing.

ACC’s cattle property portfolio of around 4 million acres in Queensland & NSW encompasses operations from the Barkly Tableland, CQ coalfields, Carnarvon ranges, Augathella, Blackall, Roma, and Moonie districts of Queensland, with a carrying capacity of 300,000 head. of cattle to support the Company’s 3 feedlots.

Additionally, David represents Agricultural & Cattle industry interests in his role as; Non-Government member Australia Indonesia Red Meat & Cattle Partnership, member SmartSat CRC, member Cattle Australia -Policy Council, member Australian Meat Industry Council -China & Halal Trade Groups, Chair Workplace Health & Safety Queensland -Rural Industry Sector Standing Committee, Deputy Chair Laguna Bay Pastoral investment committee and Board Member lnventia Genetic Technologies (IGT).

Away from work David has a small cattle property in the Mt Kilcoy (Qld) district running Charolais & Charbray breeders to the delight of his four grandchildren.

David wishes to continue into a second term to help build a strong and successful Cattle Australia to represent the interest of all cattle producers

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EU trade agreement must right the wrongs of agricultural trade imbalance.

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