Trade Minister Don Farrell has appealed to the eating habits of US voters in Australia’s bid to avoid further tariffs, saying the cost of a McDonald’s burger would go up if beef exports were caught up in Donald Trump’s trade war.

The US president is an avid consumer of burgers from the iconic American fast food chain, which Northern Territory Cattleman’s Association chief executive Will Evans said was a big buyer of Australian beef along with a host of other well-known fast food brands.