China has acquired, for the first time in history, a shipment of Brazilian beef certified as free from recent deforestation, in a transaction carried out in May between Cofco and MBRF (then Marfrig). The audit was conducted by BDO, following the criteria of the Boi na Linha protocol and international environmental organizations.
The certification ensured that the beef originated from animals raised in Cerrado areas with no deforestation after 2020 and in Amazon areas with no deforestation after 2008. It also verified the absence of production in embargoed zones, protected areas or Indigenous lands. Traceability covered the entire supply chain — including direct and indirect suppliers — through daily geospatial monitoring.
For organizations such as WWF, the operation sends a clear signal that China will favor deforestation-free supply chains, accelerating the shift toward more demanding standards. According to MBRF, expanding the supply of environmentally guaranteed beef will depend on producer support and on turning traceability into a mandatory public policy with incentives to achieve scale.
Source: Globo Rural.
