Brief
Australian ambassador says US lamb woes not caused by Aussie imports
Greg Moriarty told the US International Trade Commission that domestic factors, not Australian lamb imports, are to blame for the US industry's decline.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Ambassador to the United States Greg Moriarty told a US International Trade Commission hearing on 17 October 2026 that the decline in the American lamb industry is not caused by Australian imports, as the Trump administration weighs new tariffs on $1.6 billion of Australian sheep meat.
What happened
The hearing, held in Washington, examined whether imports of lamb from Australia and New Zealand, which make up almost all of the United States' 80 percent import share, constitute a serious injury to the domestic sector. US Trade Ambassador Jamieson Greer asked the commission to assess the impact, a step that could lead to tariffs or quotas.
What the reports add
Moriarty argued that a prolonged drought, falling wool demand and the US government's removal of wool subsidies have reduced domestic lamb output, creating a supply gap that Australian imports have filled. He said the imports are a “consequence of reduced US output, not a substantial cause of it.” By contrast, Paul Rosenthal, a trade lawyer for the American Sheep Industry Association, claimed that Australian imports have displaced US producers and driven the decline.
What was said
“Imports have filled the supply gap created by this decline in domestic production. They are a consequence of reduced US output, not a substantial cause of it,” Moriarty told the commission, as reported by SMH.
“Any action to restrict lamb meat imports would only increase costs for US consumers, reduce product availability and risk reversing the steady growth in US demand for lamb to the detriment of the US industry,” he added.
Rosenthal said the Australian testimony was “disingenuous” and likened it to “the proverbial story about the boy who killed his parents and threw himself at the mercy of the court because he’s an orphan.”
How it came about
The dispute follows a history of US‑Australia trade tensions, including previous Trump‑imposed beef tariffs that were later lifted. Moriarty also highlighted that Australian lamb supplies have helped US flock productivity through genetics partnerships, technology transfer and pest research. The US commission’s staff report notes that Australian and New Zealand shipments account for nearly all of the lamb imported into the United States.
Key facts
- Greg Moriarty told the US International Trade Commission that drought, reduced wool demand and removal of wool subsidies, not Australian imports, are behind US lamb industry struggles. (smh.com.au)
- US imports account for about 80% of lamb consumed in America, with Australia and New Zealand providing nearly all of those imports. (smh.com.au)
- The Trump administration is considering new tariffs or restrictions on $1.6 billion of Australian sheep meat exports to the US. (smh.com.au)
Where accounts differ
- Cause of US lamb industry decline: Moriarty says domestic factors (drought, wool demand, subsidy removal) are to blame. (smh.com.au); Paul Rosenthal says Australian imports have displaced US producers. (smh.com.au)
Sources
- [1] smh.com.au — originally reported as “US-Australia lamb trade: Ambassador Greg Moriarty defends Australian imports against potential US tariffs”
