Why We Should Be Saying No to American Beef in Australia
At a glance, importing American beef into Australia might seem harmless, after all, what’s a little international trade in the grand scheme of things? But the truth is, it’s a move that chips away at the foundations of our local food culture, undermines our producers, and risks the high standards Australians have worked hard to uphold.
Australia is home to some of the best beef in the world. Our producers raise cattle on open pastures, with a deep respect for the land and a commitment to ethical, sustainable farming. Our regulations around animal welfare, biosecurity and environmental impact are among the strictest globally, and that’s something to be proud of.
In contrast, much of the beef produced in the United States comes from industrialised feedlots, where animals are kept in confined spaces and pumped with growth hormones that are banned in Australia. Importing this beef not only threatens the integrity of our food system, it directly undermines our local farmers who operate with care and pride, often under far tougher conditions.
Let’s be clear, this isn’t about pointing fingers. It’s about protecting the future of Australian agriculture. It’s about ensuring that when someone sits down to a meal in a pub, restaurant or wedding venue, they’re being served beef that was raised just down the road, not thousands of kilometres away.
At The Wilderness Chef, we’ll always choose to support local farmers and producers. It matters to us that the ingredients we use are of the highest quality, with the best flavour and that they come from people who know the land and care deeply about their craft. Choosing locally grown, ethically raised beef isn’t just about what’s on the plate, it’s about supporting local businesses and supporting Australian grown.
We've rounded up some excellent local producers and butchers we think you'll love:
Hunter Valley Premium Meats – Newcastle (Rutherford depot)
Sellers Meat Co. – Merewether, Newcastle
Binnie Beef – Hunter Valley Wagyū Farm
Hunter Natural (Morpeth Butchery) – Upper Hunter Valley
Springhill Beef Co. – Hunter Valley
Lakeside/Blacksmiths Family Meats – Blacksmiths, NSW
Edgeworth Meat & More – Edgeworth, Lake Macquarie
Hunter Natural (Morpeth Butchery) – Upper Hunter Valley & Morpeth
Charlton Harvest – Hunter Valley, NSW
