Brazilian meatpacker JBS plans to invest R$43 million (€8.1 million) over the next three years, to enhance transparency and traceability in its cattle supply chain in Pará.
The investment, announced at COP28 in Dubai, will see the company supporting small producers with environmental regularisation programmes and the adoption of regenerative practices and agroforestry systems in Pará.
Marcela Rocha, executive director of corporate affairs at JBS, said, “As the world’s largest food producer and operating in the world’s primary biome, we are very proud to respond to our capacity to produce sustainably.
“This is a smart and courageous initiative. Now, with individual traceability, [we] will have more confidence to produce and, consequently, to generate jobs, bringing benefits and opportunities for all.”
JBS will channel a part of the announced investments to the Eastern Amazon Fund (FAO), to support small producers in funding the application of individual identifiers on cattle.
Traceability Programme
JBS added that the individual traceability programme has already commenced, with the application of electronic identifiers on cattle at the Friboi unit in Marabá, in Pará.
Currently, the initiative is supported by non-governmental entities and MSD Saúde Animal, owner of the Allflex brand, which provided the electronic identifiers, training, data-reading equipment, and the software-consolidating information about each animal.
Gilberto Tomazoni, the CEO of JBS Global, stated, “With this additional partnership with the state of Pará, we are reinforcing our commitment to supporting small producers and enhancing transparency in livestock farming.
“These programmes reflect our continuous effort to promote more sustainable production practices and are important – not only to boost Paraense agriculture, but also to develop a unique traceability system in Brazil, advancing towards increasingly transparent and responsible production.”
