NFU President Minette Batters has slammed Jacob Rees-Mogg as 'morally bankrupt' after he called for 'hormone-injected beef from Australia' to be sent to the UK.
The controversial comments were made at the ongoing Conservative Party conference, which is taking place in Manchester.
The NFU had urged the party that it was 'more important than ever' for them to back British food and farming.
But in comments likely to enrage the British beef sector, Mr Rees-Mogg called for imports of cheaper food.
“I want hormone-injected beef from Australia," the prominent Brexiteer said.
“I’ve eaten beef in Australia, it was absolutely delicious, there’s nothing wrong with it and they should be allowed to export it here because we want lower costs.”
Minette Batters, the NFU's president, hit back on social media by slamming the comments as 'unbelievable'.
Unbelievable from @Jacob_Rees_Mogg - an absolute desire to annihilate British Ag - totally & utterly morally bankrupt. One thing’s for certain the Aussies would have deported him if he were representing them. https://t.co/WFG2L5DvbR
— minette batters (@Minette_Batters) October 2, 2023
Other prominent farming social media accounts also displayed their disbelief.
JRM doing his bit for Britain at Conservative Party Conference. https://t.co/9M2oiWNhG2
— Joe Stanley ???? (@JoeWStanley) October 2, 2023
Well I won’t be buying it, this is a shameful betrayal of the Welsh farming industry.@1GarethWynJones
— Ethan Jones ?????????????? (@Ethan4Indy) October 2, 2023
It comes after the UK and Australia free trade deal came into force in the summer after it was finalised in late 2021.
The NFU had warned that the 'one-sided' trade deal had 'extremely little' in it for British farmers, with Australian farmers achieving 'all they have asked for'.
