JBS delivers first batch of individually traceable beef
Launch marks progress in cattle traceability and sustainable beef production in Brazil.
BRAZIL – JBS delivered the first lot of individually traceable beef from Pará on November 3, 2025, marking a milestone in Brazil’s beef industry.
The 12-ton shipment of Friboi-branded beef will be available in Atacadão outlets, a Carrefour Brasil Group subsidiary, in Belém.
This initiative is part of the Sustainable Cattle Ranching Program of Pará, a collaborative effort involving the state government, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), JBS, Carrefour Brasil, and other meat processors.
Carrefour joined the program in April 2025 as part of its efforts to support traceability and sustainability in Brazil’s cattle sector.
Under the initiative, Atacadão becomes the first retail chain in Brazil to sell beef from cattle identified individually using electronic ear tags, known locally as “brincados.”
The state’s new traceability policy aims to electronically register all cattle in Pará by 2027 to ensure more accurate monitoring of livestock movements and sourcing.
Before adopting individual tagging, Carrefour’s supply chain tracking relied on batch-level identification using the Animal Transit Guide (GTA), which limited the visibility of indirect suppliers.
The new system allows for detailed tracking of each animal’s origin and production history, offering greater transparency and oversight throughout the supply chain.
According to the companies involved, this approach also enables better compliance monitoring and supports producers working under responsible land-use practices.
Atacadão’s chief executive, Marco Oliveira, said the retailer’s participation reflects its environmental, social, and governance (ESG) agenda and demonstrates that responsible cattle production can coexist with market demands.
The individually tagged cattle were supplied by AgroCumaru, part of Grupo Mafra, and processed by Friboi at one of JBS’s Pará facilities.
Both companies stated that by 2027, the Sustainable Cattle Ranching Program could enable Pará’s slaughterhouses to distribute traceable, deforestation-free beef to other states, including São Paulo.
The program is designed to encourage responsible production while strengthening recognition for compliant farmers and creating incentives for small producers to improve their practices.
This first sale of traceable beef highlights a shift toward a more transparent beef supply chain in Pará, where sustainability verification is becoming an operational requirement rather than a voluntary measure.
As Pará seeks to identify its entire cattle population within two years, stakeholders view this traceability model as a potential blueprint for expanding sustainable livestock production across Brazil.
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