Cooperation between Abiec and Imaflora could raise from 16 to 39 the number of meatpackers that adopt unified socioenvironmental criteria in cattle purchases
SÃO PAULO, June 8, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Imaflora and the Brazilian Association of Beef Exporting Industries (Abiec) today announced that the latter has formally adhered to the Boi na Linha (Beef On Track) Protocol jointly developed with the Federal Prosecution Office to establish socioenvironmental criteria in cattle purchases throughout Brazil. Currently, of the 39 members of ABIEC, 16 have already adhered to the protocol, including the 3 largest in Brazil. The aim of the cooperation is to share the standard among all members.
As a result of a term of technical cooperation between Imaflora and Abiec, a program will be put together to allow for gradual and inclusive expansion of the use of the Beef On Track protocol by all associate members of the entity throughout Brazil.
"Given the standing of the Abiec members, we will improve the business environment by standardizing the origination procedures and criteria within the sector", says Marina Piatto, executive director of Imaflora.
"This cooperation is a fundamental step for promoting a sustainable beef cattle value chain in Brazil, by sharing the expertise, already acquired by Imaflora, with all our members", says Antonio Camardelli, president of Abiec.
The cooperation between the two entities will also positively differentiate the Abiec members within the domestic and external markets, and among consumers, investors and other interested parties, raising the value of legal livestock farming produce while supporting the country's climate commitments and countering illegality.
"Our ambition is to have every company operating in the Amazon adhere to the protocol within one year, and other member companies within two years" says Fernando Sampaio, Sustainability Director of Abiec.
The 16 companies account for 74% of the cattle slaughtered at federally inspected (SIF) meatpacking plants in the Amazon, and 63% of total (SIF) slaughter in Brazil .
The cooperation will permit engagement and training of Abiec member meatpackers and has the potential to reach the 39 companies that account for 84% of federally inspected slaughtering in the Legal Amazon region, 80% of SIF-inspected slaughtering in Brazil and 98% of Brazilian exports.
About Beef On Track:
The Beef On Track program is the outcome of a long process, led by Imaflora and the Federal Prosecution Office, of conversations among them, other civil society organizations and meatpackers with the intention of harmonizing and strengthening the socioenvironmental commitment within the beef cattle value chain in the Amazon and boosting its implementation.
The approach of the Beef On Track program aims to put cattle producers, meatpackers, supermarkets, investors, government agents and civil society organizations on the same page. The objective is to foster good practices by means of harmonized processes involving monitoring, audits and progress reports to increase the transparency of the chain.
The monitoring criteria used in the Boi na Linha protocol are available at:
www.boinalinha.org/
About Abiec:
The Brazilian Association of Beef Exporting Industries (Abiec) was founded in 1979 and is today the main representative of the industry in the international areas of trade regulations, sanitary requirements and open markets.
Abiec's attributions include bringing together, coordinating, promoting, expanding, representing and defending in and out of court, in Brazil or abroad, the interests of the beef and beef product exporting industries throughout Brazil, seeking to contribute with solutions for the general and specific problems of the class involving government or private sector entities
Since 2009, we have advocated for sustainable livestock farming by encouraging our members to adopt socioenvironmental risk management instruments in raw material procurement, while supporting the implementation of good practices in the industry .
www.abiec.com.br/
About Imaflora:
Imaflora, (Institute for Forest and Agricultural Stewardship and Certification), is a Brazilian NGO founded in 1995.
The Institute is present throughout Brazil, promoting actions that contribute to both conserving natural resources and improving and maintaining the quality of life of rural and forest workers, traditional and indigenous peoples, quilombola communities and family farmers.
Through integrated and innovative solutions, Imaflora has shown itself to be an agent for change in the forestry and livestock farming sectors, demonstrating that it is possible to: Reconcile production with conservancy; combine social, environmental and economic benefits and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
www.imaflora.org
For further information, contact Imaflora's Press Agency:
Vanessa Fontes
+551194105.8309
vanessa.fontes@profile.ag
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