Donald Trump with his list of countries, including Australia, that were hit with reciprocal tariffs.

AMERICAN sheep producers are seeking a 30 percent duty on all sheep and lamb products from Australia and New Zealand, including wool.

A bill was introduced late last month into the US Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America.

Republican representative Mark Amodei of Nevada introduced the bill on 30 January and it was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means. Fellow Republican Representative Celeste Maloy co-sponsored the bill on 2 February and Representative Burgess Owens followed suit on 13 February.

The US Congress bill follows the imposition of a new Trump tariff on Australia’s sheep and goat meat imports initially set at 10 percent, the same level as the previous global Liberation Day tariff.

The Trump Administration last week issued an Executive Order invoking Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1964 to place a temporary global 10pc tariff on all products from all countries due to a balance of payment crisis, after the US Supreme Court last week ruled President Trump had exceeded his authority by imposing the Liberation Day tariffs under economic emergency laws.

Mr Trump has also directed the Office of the United States Trade Representative to use its section 301 authority to investigate certain unreasonable and discriminatory acts, policies, and practices that burden or restrict U.S. commerce. This is consistent with a recent American Sheep Industry Association request to the USTR to investigate the impact of lamb imports on US producers.

The American Sheep Industry Association has confirmed to Sheep Central that it has officially asked the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to investigate the impact of lamb imports on U.S. producers.

“We are currently awaiting USTR’s decision,” a spokesperson said.