A bill which would kill an $80 million Australian industry is set to pass the US House of Representatives with bipartisan support.

US activists have run a successful Kangaroos Are Not Shoes campaign, forcing Australia’s Ambassador to the US to launch a counter-campaign.

Agriculture Minister David Littleproud told Deborah Knight to knock back the suggestions culling kangaroos is done in a cruel manner.

“[It’s] an outrageous lie, and one that slurs on the standing of the industry and farmers themselves.

“Animal cruelty is not accepted by Australian farmers … in any way, shape or form.

“What these animal activists forget is what is a crueler death, … [is] that we have many kangaroos, particular in drought, dying of starvation.”

Mr Littleproud highlighted the health and environmental sustainability benefits of kangaroo leather and consuming kangaroo meat.

“For people 20,000+ km away telling us how we should do it, without even setting foot in the country … taking the word of motive activists just doesn’t make sense.”

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