Imaflora and the Brazilian Association of Meat Exporters (Abiec) announced today the association’s formal adherence to the Boi na Linha Protocol, developed in conjunction with the Federal Public Ministry to establish socio-environmental criteria for the purchase of cattle throughout Brazil. Currently, of the 39 companies associated with ABIEC, 16 have already adhered to the protocol, including the 3 largest in the country. With the cooperation, the goal is to take the standard to all associates.
Based on a technical cooperation term between Imaflora and Abiec, a program will be built that will allow for the progressive and inclusive expansion of the use of the Boi na Linha Protocol in all slaughterhouses associated with the entity, throughout the national territory.
“With the representativeness of Abiec associates, we are going to improve the business environment, standardizing procedures and criteria for origination in the sector”, says Marina Piatto, executive director of Imaflora.
“This cooperation is a fundamental step towards the promotion of a sustainable beef value chain in the country, taking the expertise already built by Imaflora to all our associates”, says Antonio Camardelli, president of Abiec.
The cooperation between the two entities will also positively differentiate Abiec associates in the domestic and foreign markets, consumers, investors and other interested parties, enhance legal agricultural production and support the country’s climate commitments and the fight against illegality. “Our ambition is to have all the companies operating in the Amazon within the Protocol within one year, and the other associated companies within two years” says Fernando Sampaio, Sustainability Director at Abiec.
The 16 companies currently represent 74% of slaughter in federal inspection slaughterhouses (SIF) in the Amazon and 63% of total slaughter (SIF) in Brazil. The cooperation will allow the engagement and training of slaughterhouses associated with Abiec, and will potentially reach the 39 companies, which represent 84% of federal inspection slaughters in the Legal Amazon, 80% of SIF slaughters in Brazil and 98% of Brazilian exports.