Brazil's Ministry of Agriculture has begun implementing new inspection procedures for meat and other animal products to comply with European Union requirements regarding the use of antimicrobials throughout the animals' entire life cycle. The new rules will apply to sanitary certificates issued from September 3 onward, when the EU restrictions are set to take effect.
Export establishments will be required to maintain auditable records demonstrating the eligibility of the animals, raw materials, and inputs used in batches destined for the European market. In addition, the official inspection service will verify not only the implementation of these controls, but also their ability to support the sanitary guarantees required by the EU. The main changes affect the poultry, egg, honey, and aquaculture sectors, which will be required to control and monitor animal feed manufacturers to ensure that prohibited substances are not used.
For beef, the requirements are more complex. The protocol requires the segregation of animals and documentary proof, through traceability systems, that no antimicrobials were used throughout the entire production cycle. As only a limited number of Brazilian farms currently hold full-cycle certification, expectations are that a large share of Brazilian beef exports to the EU will remain suspended for at least two years, until cattle born and raised under the new conditions become available for slaughter. The potential impact is estimated at up to US$ 1 billion per year, equivalent to the value of exports to the bloc in 2025.
The Ministry also stated that, for the time being, the United Kingdom will not impose additional certification requirements, although it recommended maintaining the new controls while British authorities define their final position.
