Mato Grosso-based institute proposes technical, financial cooperation to foster sustainable production
06/09/2022
The Mato Grosso Meat Institute (Imac) has started a movement to try and avoid the approval of new rules by the European Union that would impose trade barriers to livestock products from the state and the country because of deforestation.
In meetings with authorities in Belgium and Germany this week, members of Imac will present a proposal for technical and financial cooperation with Europe to foster sustainable production in Brazil, to remunerate the environmental services rendered, and improve the monitoring of the herds.
“We will suggest that the European Union participate with more influence and economic capacity in the Brazilian meat market, defining obligations for monitoring and inspection of the production chain, with the integrated cooperation of its links, to give support and structure an action plan that will allow the recovery of deforested areas without marginalizing cattle farmers, mostly small and medium-sized ones,” said Caio Penido, head of Imac.
The intention is to open a “channel of dialogue” with the Europeans. Imac wants to put together a more “proactive, constructive and inclusive” joint trade policy, capable of sharing costs and problems. The current assessment is that new European rules under discussion may exclude several producers that act legally, without reaching the objectives of environmental protection.
Among the points presented by Imac to the Europeans is the fact that the proposed regulation for the bloc does not consider the implementation costs and the economic impact borne by farmers for its regularization, nor does it treat companies that already apply compliance systems differently.
The institute suggests the “creation of incentives through remuneration for environmental services rendered, including in an integrated manner to the global carbon market” and the increase of import quotas with premium prices for properties that conserve biodiversity.
The institute also warns that the legal deforestation supported by the Brazilian Forest Code, of up to 20% of forest areas in the Amazon rainforest, for example, must be respected. According to Imac, the cattle farmers will not give up a certain gain with the production in a regular and productive area because of “generalist economic arguments.”
In the document presented to the Europeans, Imac highlights the control programs already implemented in the country. “The main problem of deforestation in Brazil, in the meat chain, is technological unavailability and lack of professional assistance,” it said.
The European proposal for “regulation of deforestation-free products” determines that imports will not be able to enter the European market if the production area is identified as being in a deforestation zone, which Brazilian cattle farmers consider a “boycott.”
The project may be analyzed by the Council of Ministers at the end of the month, and the final draft is expected to reach the European Parliament in July. Besides meat, the rules may affect other production chains, such as soy and coffee.
*By Rafael Walendorff — Brasília
Source: Valor International