May 21, 2024

Working group to push traceability of cattle in Brazil

Brazil has established a working group to advance measures to control the traceability of cattle and buffalo in the country.

The Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Mapa) said that the group will prepare a strategic plan to implement public policy on the identification of animals, including history, location and movement.

The secretary of agricultural defense, Carlos Goulart, said that the issue of traceability has been raised in Brazil "for a long time" by purchasing countries.

"Traceability improves our control capacity in animal health programmes, improves our handling of episodic outbreak issues and our profile of commitment to the requirements of importing countries," he said.

The move towards traceability is part of Brazil's commitment to tackle deforestation as a result of cattle production.

Goulart noted that the debate on traceability involves many parties along the food chain. Although some consensus has been reached on how this is to be achieved, Goulart added that fundamental issues still need to be resolved. This includes at what stage in an animal's life will it be tracked, whether tracking will be compulsory or voluntary, how traceability will be carried out and what the traceability mechanisms will be.

The working group will be made up of representatives from the public and private sectors and will be given 60 days to debate, collect subsidies and prepare the strategic plan.

Along with representatives from government departments and organisations, the group will also involve the Brazilian Confederation of Agriculture and Livestock, the Brazilian Association of Meat Exporting Industries and livestock exporters.

- Agriland