Brazil's Pará State Launches Mandatory Cattle Tracking to Combat Amazon Deforestation with JBS Support

Pará State Implements Comprehensive Cattle Tracking Program

The Brazilian state of Pará has launched a pioneering initiative, the Pará Cattle Integrity and Development Program, designed to combat deforestation in the Amazon rainforest by meticulously tracking cattle movements. Announced at COP28 in December 2023, this program mandates the use of ear tags on cattle, aiming to monitor all transported animals by December 2025 and the state's entire permanent herd of approximately 24 million cattle by December 2026.

The program utilizes RFID (radio frequency identification) ear tags, which digitally connect to a system recording each animal's movements throughout its life. Each animal receives two tags: one with a written number and another with an electronic chip, both linked to data such as birth location, owner, breed, and movement history. Ranchers are required to report cattle movements, and buyers must log transactions. This data is then cross-referenced with satellite imagery to detect illegal deforestation or encroachment on Indigenous territories. Meat from animals found to have grazed on illegally cleared land will be rejected by traders and processors.

JBS's Significant Investment and Support

The world's largest meatpacker, JBS, is a key partner in this initiative, providing substantial financial and logistical support. JBS has invested over US$7 million in cattle traceability and assistance for small producers in Pará. This includes a US$5 million allocation to its Traceability Accelerator Program and US$2 million for its Green Offices. The company is donating 3 million ear tags, with 2 million specifically designated for small-scale producers, and has provided 175 readers to the Pará State Agricultural Defense Agency (Adepará).

JBS's Green Offices, established in 2021, offer free support for the environmental regularization of rural properties, assisting producers with the Rural Environmental Registry (CAR) and the Environmental Regularization Program (PRA). JBS CEO Gilberto Tomazoni has publicly advocated for a national mandatory traceability system in Brazil, emphasizing its importance in eliminating deforestation. The company has also set a goal to eliminate illegal deforestation from its supply chain by 2025, utilizing satellite geo-monitoring for direct suppliers and blockchain technology for indirect suppliers.

Addressing the Root Cause of Amazon Deforestation

Cattle ranching is recognized as the primary driver of deforestation in the Amazon, accounting for approximately 80% of current forest destruction. The state of Pará has been particularly affected, contributing to about 40% of all deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon since 2001 and roughly 14% of global rainforest loss over the past 24 years. Brazil is the world's largest beef exporter, making effective traceability crucial for sustainable practices.

This program marks Brazil's first mandatory cattle tracing requirement with a specific environmental focus. The initiative is part of Pará's broader environmental goals, which include achieving zero illegal deforestation by 2030, carbon neutrality in land use and forest emissions by 2036, and net-zero emissions by 2050. The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is also a partner in this effort, with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) supporting Pará's decarbonization agenda.