Nigel Farage has been criticised after he admitted he would accept chlorine-treated chicken from the United States as part of a trade deal.
The Reform UK leader has been cautioned against jeopardizing the UK's high food and farming standards after he expressed support for allowing the meat to be sold in the UK.
It comes as the government is rushing to negotiate a deal to avoid 25% tariffs on steel and aluminium, as well as additional reciprocal tariffs that could take effect in April.
Mr Farage, a close associate of Donald Trump, stated that the US president would “want US agricultural products to be sold in Britain" as part of any deal.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: "Now there's been some concern about chlorine-treated chicken etc, but there is an answer to that which is label things, let consumers decide.
"So I think this shouldn't be just about avoiding tariffs, it should be a broader deal."
The US has long pushed for greater access to the UK’s agricultural market and to see Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures removed to enable the import of produce which would be illegal to produce in the UK.
Hormone treated beef, and pork or chicken treated with anti-microbial washes, are banned practices in the UK and European Union, but allowed in the United States.
When asked if he supported the sale of chlorine-treated chicken, Mr Farage responded: "I would allow consumers in America to buy our products and consumers here to buy their products, and provided we have the right labelling, that's good."
Tim Farron MP, Liberal Democrat environment spokesperson, accused the Reform UK leader of "selling out" farmers for a "grubby trade deal."
“It looks like Nigel Farage has had the full indoctrination at Mar-a-Lago. No one in this country wants chlorinated chicken on our supermarket shelves.
"He's more interested in being a salesman for Trump than standing up for Britain and our rural communities.
"Liberal Democrats will always fight for British farmers - and against Farage's plans to turn the UK into a Trump tribute act.”
It comes as the UK's farming unions urged the government to "stand up" for British farming in trade talks with the "aggressive" Trump administration.
The unions, which include the NFU, NFU Scotland, NFU Cymru and Ulster Farmers' Union, said they were "extremely concerned" over any urgent trade deal to avoid President Trump's tariffs.
In a joint statement, they said: “Absolutely no one wants to see hormone treated beef, or pork or chicken treated with anti-microbial washes – which are banned here in the UK – sold on our market," they said.
"Those ways of production were banned in the 80s and 90s for a reason. They don’t reflect our values and the farm to fork approach we are proud of in the UK."
Liz Webster, founder of the campaign group Save British Farming, said the public was “rightly appalled by chlorinated chicken”.
“A US trade deal would be devastating for British farming, food security, public health, animal welfare, and the environment”, she told The Independent.
“US agriculture is heavily subsidised and relies on intensive, industrial methods - including chemicals and practices banned in the UK.
“The British public is rightly appalled by chlorinated chicken and hormone-fed beef. We are an animal-loving nation that values high standards, and we must not trade them away.”
