Amazon cattle industry socio-environmental audits

Audits conducted under the Meat in the Amazon Conduct Adjustment Agreement (TAC) have identified socio-environmental non-compliance within the livestock supply chain in the Legal Amazon. Data covering January 2023 to December 2024 revealed that 7.51% of cattle sold directly to meatpacking plants had issues, including sourcing from areas with illegal deforestation, indigenous lands, or farms using labor analogous to slavery. This rate exceeds the 4% tolerance limit established by the Federal Public Ministry (MPF). In instances where formal audits were not conducted, automated data analysis showed a 64.8% irregularity rate among audited purchases.

In Mato Grosso, more than 90% of summoned meatpacking plants have completed the required audits. Of the 14 establishments summoned in the state, 13 completed the process, representing 82% of all animals commercialized for slaughter or export in the region during the audit period. Federal Prosecutor Erich Masson noted that most irregularities found were minor and that most companies comply with Brazilian environmental legislation.

To strengthen oversight, the MPF announced plans to expand monitoring to include indirect suppliers starting in January 2027. This expansion aims to cover ranchers who sell to fattening farms, with a goal of utilizing a specialized platform to cross-reference databases and notify companies of irregularities by 2029.