Chinese beef traders have commenced a significant agreement to buy beef from Brazil, ensuring that it has been raised without any illegal forest clearing. This initiative introduces the Beef on Track certification, a pioneering framework for Brazilian beef, supported by Imaflora, an agriculture and conservation group providing this certification. China, Brazil’s leading trading partner and the largest importer of its beef, is at the forefront of this endeavor.
The certification system evaluates Brazil’s beef supply chains across four distinct tiers. It checks for freedom from illegal deforestation, activity in protected or Indigenous regions, and exploitative labor conditions. In 2025, over half of Brazil’s beef exports, amounting to 3.1 million tons valued at $8.8 billion, were destined for China, according to data from the Brazilian government.
The Tianjin Meat Association, representing major Chinese meat importers, adopted the certification system in October. They have committed to initially purchasing at least 50,000 tons of certified beef this year. Starting from Wednesday, participating companies will conduct audits on imports in collaboration with a Chinese certification firm, enabling the sale of zero-deforestation labeled beef in the Chinese market.
Marina Guyot, Imaflora’s director of climate and zero deforestation, believes this certification, while initially niche, offers substantial potential to disentangle cattle ranching from deforestation. She emphasizes the importance of creating positive incentives and a market mechanism that acknowledges existing producer efforts, while offering commercial advantages.
Brazil stands as the world’s largest beef producer, responsible for about 20% of global production. However, the growth in cattle ranching has come with environmental challenges. Since the 1980s, pasture expansion has significantly contributed to deforestation, especially in the Amazon, housing nearly 40% of the country’s pastureland. This rainforest is crucial for regulating the global climate.
Despite a reduction in deforestation after peaks in the 1990s and 2000s, rates rose again during former President Jair Bolsonaro’s administration from 2019 to 2022, noted for its weakened environmental protections. Current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has promised to halt deforestation by 2030, focusing on stronger enforcement policies that have reduced forest loss by 50% over the past four years.
In 2009, after years of stronger enforcement, Brazilian authorities and major meatpackers reached a groundbreaking agreement to hold companies responsible for suppliers linked to deforestation. In 2023, the government started developing a national certification system using public databases to monitor social and environmental impacts across supply chains. The Beef on Track certification builds upon these previous efforts.
Raoni Rajão, former leader of Brazilian deforestation control and a professor of environmental management at the Federal University of Minas Gerais, has concentrated on developing tools to trace supply chains. He highlights the effectiveness of requiring import verification of production legality, with historical precedence proving impactful, as seen when Paraguay’s checks on car thefts decreased cross-border theft.
The Brazilian Beef Exporters Association is observing these certification initiatives, stressing any new labels should integrate with existing frameworks to prevent production bottlenecks. They emphasize that international market dynamics have already prompted significant sustainable practices within Brazil’s cattle sector.
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