Chinese beef traders have initiated a significant agreement to buy Brazilian beef certified as being raised without illegal forest clearing. This deal marks the launch of the Beef on Track certification, a first for Brazilian beef, provided by Imaflora, an agriculture and conservation organization.
China is Brazil’s primary trading partner and the largest importer of its beef. The certification categorizes Brazil’s beef supply chains into four levels, ensuring they are free from illegal deforestation, activity in protected or Indigenous areas, and slave-like labor. In 2025, China imported over half of Brazil’s beef exports, totaling 3.1 million tons and valued at $8.8 billion, according to Brazilian government data.
The Tianjin Meat Association, which comprises major Chinese meat importers, pledged to adopt the certification system in October. They have committed to an initial purchase of at least 50,000 tons of certified beef this year. From now, participating companies will begin auditing imports with a Chinese certification firm. This will enable them to provide zero-deforestation labeled beef to the Chinese market.
Marina Guyot, director of climate and zero deforestation at Imaflora, stated that the certification, while initially niche, could scale up and help separate cattle ranching from deforestation. “The idea is to create an incentive, a positive tool beyond enforcement, and a market mechanism that recognizes efforts made by some producers and expands them by offering commercial advantages,” Guyot explained.
Brazil, the world’s largest beef producer, accounts for about 20% of global production. However, cattle ranching expansion has significantly impacted the environment. Since the 1980s, pasture expansion has fueled deforestation, especially in the Amazon, housing nearly 40% of the country’s pastureland. The Amazon plays a crucial role in global climate regulation. Despite a fall in deforestation after peaks in the 1990s and 2000s, rates rose again during former President Jair Bolsonaro’s administration, known for weakened environmental protections.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has vowed to eliminate deforestation by 2030, bolstering enforcement policies that have reduced forest loss by 50% over four years. Following years of enforcement, in 2009, Brazilian authorities and major meatpackers agreed to hold companies accountable for suppliers linked to deforestation. In 2023, Brazil started developing a national certification system to track social and environmental impacts across supply chains, building on prior efforts.
Raoni Rajão, who led Brazilian deforestation control from 2023 to 2024 and now teaches environmental management at the Federal University of Minas Gerais, emphasized the need for import verification. While diplomats view this as controversial, using this method has proven effective in Brazil’s history. He cited Paraguay’s agreement in 2024 to verify the origin of imported vehicles from Brazil, which curtailed border theft. “Why not apply the same approach to illegal deforestation?” Rajão questioned.
The Brazilian Beef Exporters Association is monitoring certification initiatives. They emphasize that new labels should integrate with existing systems to prevent bottlenecks and extra requirements that complicate production. “International market dynamics have driven significant progress in the sustainability of Brazil’s cattle sector,” the association commented in a statement.
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