Kate Acland: Beef & Lamb Chair says Donald Trump's tariffs will damage the meat industry

Donald Trump's latest tariff announcement looks set to hit our meat industry in the back pocket.

Trade Minister Todd McClay is heading to Washington in the coming weeks to argue our case, following Trump's decision to raise tariffs on New Zealand goods.

We'll now face a 15-percent tariff, while Australia and the UK still face a 10-percent rate.

Beef & Lamb Chair Kate Acland says our exporters may have to absorb that five-percent difference.

She says that will equate to about 300-million dollars in extra tariffs a year, if trade levels stay the same.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Our top trade diplomats heading to the States as we
speak to try and bargain down our tariff rate on
exports to the US. We've been hit with fifteen percent
on Friday. Australia got away with ten. Our trade Minster
Todd McClay will plead his case in the coming week.
So what does the industry make of it all? Kate
Eckland Beef for Nam New Zealand chair with us this morning. Kay,
Good morning, morning Ryan. What is this a big difference

(00:24):
for exporters?

Speaker 2 (00:26):
Oh? Look, we're incredibly disappointed and the main reason is
it places our farms and exporters at a clear competitive disadvantage.
And what's one of our most valuable markets. So to
be on a different rate from Australia or Uruguay or Argentina,
that's quite significant.

Speaker 1 (00:42):
Are they all on ten?

Speaker 2 (00:44):
Yeah, those guys are all on ten. So only Brazil
and Nicauegra are currently facing higher additional tariffs than New Zealander.

Speaker 1 (00:51):
The mining what would that do to our sales and
volumes potentially?

Speaker 2 (00:57):
Well, I think that would make it very difficult to
pass that cost on, you know, so that would be
something that farmers and esporders would have to have to
absorbit this end. And you know, five percent might not
sound like much, but you know, the extra that extra
tariff is we're looking at over three hundred million dollars
more than we were paying a year ago, assuming that

(01:17):
you trade level stayed the same.

Speaker 1 (01:20):
So that's that includes a TEP. That's the full fifteen
percent you mean, not the difference between ten and five. Yeah, yeah, yes, okay,
So it's well worth us sending over our diplomatic representations
and you know, kicking up a fuss as much as
we can. Are you happy with how the government's handled
this on your behalf thus far?

Speaker 2 (01:43):
We Look, it's been a very tricky situation and as
everyone knows, quite unpredictable. So look, I think the approach
you Zeland had was right, but obviously now is the
time to do something. So it's great that the minister's
heading up there, and yeah, do you need it to happen?

Speaker 1 (02:00):
What are you hearing about? What it is that their
justification is for it?

Speaker 2 (02:05):
Look, we haven't heard anything that it was quite a surprise.
So you haven't heard any reason for this, okay?

Speaker 1 (02:13):
And what's your How often are they keeping you updated?
Our government? That is?

Speaker 2 (02:18):
Look, we're in pretty constant contact with our government officials
both here in New Zealand but also over in DC.
So you know there is a great team over in DC.
We've also got stuff over there, so you know it
is quite a collective team New Zealand effort.

Speaker 1 (02:35):
Okay, Kate, appreciate your time this morning. Good luck Kate Eckland,
who's been the name New Zealand share with us? Just
gone seventeen minutes after five. It's sort of scratched your
head stuff, isn't it when you've got a trade surplus. Yes,
we have a trade surplus, but it's you know, two
for to bugger all to the American Is this just
just an excuse, a blanket excuse to take some money

(02:57):
off other countries you trade with. It looks like that
to me. For more from Early Edition with Ryan Bridge,
listen live to News Talks it be from five am weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.