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JBS's Pioneering Investment in Pará: A Commitment to Sustainability and Support

In a significant move towards boosting agricultural sustainability, JBS has invested over $7 million into cattle traceability and support for small producers in Pará, Brazil. This investment is part of a groundbreaking initiative aimed at ensuring comprehensive traceability of the region’s cattle and buffalo herds, with a target completion date set for the end of 2026. The announcement was made during the “Expedition to the Sustainable Meat and Leather Market of Pará”, an event organized by the Nature Conservancy (TNC) Brazil.

Understanding the Initiative

The initiative is a collaboration involving various stakeholders, including government bodies, local producers, civil society, and industry representatives. A significant portion of JBS's funding, amounting to $5 million, has been allocated to its Traceability Accelerator Program. This program aims to enhance the adoption of tracing labels among the company's indirect suppliers. Furthermore, JBS has donated 2 million ear tags to producers and provided 175 readers to the Pará State Agricultural Defense Agency (Adepará) to help streamline this traceability effort.

The program initially focuses on the southeast region of Pará, encompassing areas between the municipalities of Marabá and Santana do Araguaia. JBS teams, alongside partnering organizations, are conducting field visits to engage with local farms and establish connections using state-accredited tracing operators. The equipment provided by JBS facilitates the recording of individual animal identification data, enabling real-time tracking of cattle across the state, known for having the second-largest herd in Brazil.

Fábio Dias’ Insights

Fábio Dias, head of sustainable livestock at JBS, emphasized the importance of these initiatives during the event. He remarked, “Our actions are crafted to support the national program, providing aid to both direct and indirect suppliers, potentially reaching up to 2 million tags for herd traceability. This initial phase is crucial as we aim to resolve bottlenecks and test tracing tools and strategies on a wider scale.”

Strategic Expansion and Impact

In strategic partnership with Adepará and TNC, the JBS Traceability Accelerator Program has already enlisted various partner firms to oversee direct operational activities. Future expansions are anticipated in other regions of the state, including Altamira, Anapu, and Pacajá in the southwest, as well as in the low Amazon areas of Belterra and Santarém, and the Marajó region. There is also a keen interest in replicating this model across different states in Brazil.

Supporting Small Producers: The Green Offices Initiative

JBS has also invested significantly in its Green Offices in Pará, with a total of $2 million allocated since 2021. These offices provide free, specialized support focused on environmental compliance for rural properties, particularly benefiting small farmers. The main objective of the JBS Green Offices is to assist producers through the registration process in the Rural Environmental Registry (CAR), promote participation in the Environmental Regularization Program (PRA), and facilitate the lifting of embargoes, thus aiding non-compliant farmers in regaining commercial viability. Additionally, they connect producers to requalification programs like SIRFLOR and Reconecta within Pará.

JBS currently operates four physical offices in the southeast region (Santana do Araguaia, Redenção, Tucumã, and Marabá), working closely with the Sustainable Territories Platform (PTS) and the State Secretariat for Environment and Sustainability (SEMAS) to expedite environmental regularization. Since early 2024, these offices have also started offering improved technical assistance and management support to producers under the enhanced EV 2.0 program.

National Achievements

On a national scale, the outcomes of the JBS Green Offices are noteworthy. Since the program's inception in 2021, 18,042 farms have achieved regularization, and restoration efforts are underway on 7,005 hectares of forest land. This initiative underlines JBS’s commitment to sustainable agriculture and responsible sourcing while supporting small producers in Brazil.

Conclusion

Through these robust investments and initiatives, JBS is setting a significant precedent for the livestock industry in Brazil, enhancing sustainability and empowering small farmers while ensuring traceability and environmental compliance. This not only benefits the local economy but also contributes positively to broader environmental goals.