Chinese Beef Traders to Purchase Certified Deforestation-Free Beef from Brazil

Chinese beef traders have started an agreement to buy Brazilian beef that is certified as not involving any illegal forest clearing. This agreement is based on the Beef on Track certification provided by Imaflora, an agriculture and conservation group. China, Brazil’s main trading partner, is the largest importer of Brazilian beef.

The certification system evaluates Brazil’s beef supply chains in four tiers. It checks for illegal deforestation, activity in protected or Indigenous areas, and slave-like labor. According to Brazilian government data, in 2025, over 50% of Brazil’s beef exports, totaling 3.1 million tons worth $8.8 billion, went to China.

The Tianjin Meat Association, which represents key Chinese meat importers, agreed to adopt the certification system in October. They have committed to purchasing a minimum of 50,000 tons of certified beef this year. From now, participating companies will begin auditing imports with a Chinese certification firm. This will allow them to offer zero-deforestation labeled beef in the Chinese market.

Marina Guyot, director of climate and zero deforestation at Imaflora, believes the certification can help separate cattle ranching from deforestation. She noted: “The idea is to create an incentive. A positive tool beyond enforcement and a market mechanism that can recognize the efforts already being made by some producers and expand them as it brings commercial advantages.”

Brazil is the world’s largest beef producer, contributing about 20% of the global output. The history of cattle ranching expansion in Brazil began in the 1980s, influencing deforestation, particularly in the Amazon, where nearly 40% of the country’s pastureland exists. The Amazon rainforest is vital for global climate regulation. Amazon deforestation increased during former President Jair Bolsonaro’s term, which faced criticism for weakening environmental protections.

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva promises to end deforestation by 2030. His administration has improved enforcement measures, reducing forest loss by 50% in the past four years. Following years of enforcement, Brazilian authorities and major meatpackers agreed in 2009 to hold companies accountable for suppliers linked to deforestation. In 2023, the Brazilian government began crafting a national certification system tracking social and environmental impacts across supply chains. The Beef on Track certification is part of this effort.

Raoni Rajão, a professor at the Federal University of Minas Gerais and former leader of Brazilian deforestation control, is researching tools for supply chain tracking. He emphasized the importance of verifying import legality, comparing the process to a 2024 agreement with Paraguay to check car imports for theft, which reduced border theft. “Why not do the same for illegal deforestation?” Rajão asked. “What’s the point of fining and sanctioning properties for deforestation if there’s no support on the buyer’s side?”

The Brazilian Beef Exporters Association supports monitoring certification initiatives but advises that new labels should match existing systems to prevent production issues. “The dynamics of the international markets have already been driving meaningful advances in the sustainability of Brazil’s cattle sector,” the association stated.

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