A Government politician representing beef industry heartland has taken issue with the labelling and placement of a vegetarian product, describing it as a "traitorous protein" that should not be stocked on supermarket meat aisle shelves.

Michelle Landry, who paints herself as a "committed carnivore", holds the marginal Queensland seat of Capricornia.

The electorate includes Rockhampton — which celebrates its links with the cattle industry through six giant bull statues, and hosts the national beef expo.

Rockhampton celebrates its links with the cattle industry through six giant bull statues. ( ABC News: Alice Roberts )

The Nationals chief whip questioned Woolworths's decision to stock a 100 per cent "plant-based" product in the meat section of the supermarket, labelled as "minced".

"When red-blooded Australians peruse the aisle for red meat to feed their hunger, they are looking for good, wholesome, natural, Australian beef — not a pile of manipulated mung beans with a fancy name and a lab coat," Ms Landry said.

"If people are genuine vegans, they will hardly be looking for products in the red meat section anyway.

"This is clearly an attempt to trick consumers into taking home a Trojan horse of processed protein posturing."

Her comments come after her Nationals colleague Barry O'Sullivan called for Woolworths to pull the product from shelves.

The National Farmers Federation has also weighed in, calling for more clarity about labelling for products related to milk or meat.

Nationals leader and Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack also took issue with the labelling, arguing "mince is meat" and the term should be reserved for meat products.

Labor's agriculture spokesman Joel Fitzgibbon said the case highlighted the importance of "genuine truth-in-labelling".

"Consumers are entitled to known what's in their food and where it comes from. Despite all its talk, the Turnbull Government has failed on both fronts," he said.

The plant-based product was placed in the meat section of the supermarket, labelled as "minced". ( ABC Rural: Daniel Fitzgerald )

Greens fear meat 'protection racket'

Greens rural affairs spokeswoman Janet Rice accused the Nationals of "running a protection racket for red meat".

The product itself is not branded as "meat" but Woolworths has promoted it using that term.

Senator Rice said she did not have an issue with that.

"I think we can cope with plant-based meat, just the same way we can cope with soy milk," she said.

"We've got soy sausages, vegetarian sausages and we've got nut meat, and consumers can understand what's going on."

Senator Rice said the focus on the word "minced" was laughable.

"Mince is meat unless it's minced garlic, or mince pies," she said.

"Basically mince means to chop something up into very fine pieces. So no, mince is not meat."

Senator Rice said she did not see a problem if people were duped, although she thought the product was clearly labelled.

"Inadvertently, if somebody buys it thinking that it's meat, and they happen to like it, that's actually no big deal," she said.

Barry O'Sullivan called for Woolworths to pull the product from shelves. ( ABC Rural: Sally Bryant )

Tastes 'close to minced beef'

Naturli Foods in Denmark manufactures the Funky Fields "plant-based minced" item that has triggered the political debate.

The ingredient list does not appear to include any reference to mung beans. The faux mince ingredients listed include soy, wheat, almonds, mushroom, tomato, and beetroot colouring.

In a statement on its website, Funky Foods argued meat extends beyond animal products.

"We don't quite understand why animals should have a monopoly on the definition of meat," it said.

"From our perspective, the definition of meat is more about the texture."

The product itself is not branded as "meat". ( ABC News: Marty McCarthy )

The company suggests using the product for lasagne, hamburgers and spaghetti bolognese.

Ms Landry acknowledged the negative attention the Nationals have paid to the new vegetarian mince is likely to have lifted the profile of the item.

"It probably has had free advertising," she conceded.