In July, Fortune reported average ground beef prices had risen nearly 12% year-on-year to US$6.12 per pound. Shortages have been compounded by bans on Mexican feeder cattle imports, removing 1.3m animals from the supply chain each year. In April, Donald Trump’s White House imposed sweeping 'Liberation Day' tariffs, including a 10% levy on Australian beef. Australia later eased restrictions on US beef imports, allowing cattle born in Canada and Mexico into the system. Tim Ryan of the Australian Meat Industry Council said: “Commercial drivers of US beef arriving in Australia are pretty limited.