Beef supply chain traceability highlighted at Global Roundtable on Sustainable Beef (GRSB) event in São Paulo

São Paulo hosted the Global Roundtable on Sustainable Beef (GRSB) event this Tuesday and Wednesday (19–20 May), bringing together representatives from Latin American countries to discuss tools and technologies aimed at beef supply chain traceability.

Isabella Freire, Executive Director of Proforest for Latin America, took part in the opening panel, “State of the Art: Tools and Technologies for Livestock Traceability”, representing the Brazilian Coalition - Climate, Forests and Agriculture, alongside experts from Colombia, Argentina and Paraguay. Cecília Korber Gonçalves, Deputy Director of Projects and Programmes at Proforest, also participated in a panel on Latin America’s preparedness for the EUDR (European Union Deforestation Regulation) and other global markets, together with representatives from Arcos Dorados, Trase and PCI.

Discussions highlighted the significant progress made by Latin American countries in implementing traceability and transparency systems since the beginning of discussions around the EUDR. In October 2024, Proforest, in partnership with Solidaridad and TFA, organised a workshop to discuss the challenges facing the beef sector in Mercosur. In March 2025, the organisation published a study providing an integrated regional overview of the progress made and the remaining requirements for EUDR compliance among beef supply chain actors across four countries in the economic bloc.

The event also addressed the ongoing common challenges related to the inclusion of indirect suppliers, system interoperability and expanding access to financial mechanisms capable of enabling traceability at scale. However, the growth of solutions based on public traceability data and enhanced socio-environmental monitoring was evident, combining public and private sector efforts through different models according to each country’s context.

The overview presented on Brazil revealed a robust ecosystem of private-sector solutions and public policy initiatives at both federal and state levels, including PNIB, the Pará Sustainable Livestock Programme, Mato Grosso’s Green Passport, the Amazon Beef TAC led by the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office (MPF), and initiatives such as the Green Seal implemented in several states, including Pará, Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo. The Agro Brasil + Sustentável Platform, developed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAPA), was highlighted as a promising initiative for integrating existing data and systems in order to demonstrate producers’ compliance with market requirements such as the EUDR.

Among the key points of consensus was the need to reposition traceability in producers’ perception, transforming it from an obligation associated with negative consequences into a tool for accessing climate and regenerative agriculture investments.

Traceability must stop being seen solely as an inspection tool. When properly structured, it can become a gateway to new investments and recognition for producers who manage land responsibly.

Isabella Freire, Executive Director of Proforest for Latin America and co-lead of the Traceability and Transparency Taskforce of the Brazil Climate, Forests and Agriculture Coalition.