Atacadão receives first batch of JBS beef with individual traceability from Pará.

Following its participation in the Sustainable Livestock Program of Pará in April of this year, the Carrefour Brasil Group will begin selling the first batch of traceable beef from Pará in its Atacadão stores in Belém, in a pioneering action carried out in partnership with the Government of the State of Pará, the environmental conservation organization The Nature Conservancy (TNC), JBS, and other meatpacking companies. Atacadão will be the first chain in the country to offer meat from "tagged" animals—individually tracked according to the new state public policy. The delivery, of 12 tons, took place on November 3rd at the Icoaraci and Portal da Amazônia stores in Belém.

The Carrefour Group and all its businesses already perform batch traceability using the GTA (Animal Transit Guide). With this initiative, the company goes further, encouraging the individual traceability of each animal, which will also enable the tracking and compliance analysis of indirect farms that supply the chain. The public policy foresees the identification of 100% animals with electronic ear tags by 2027, promoting transparency and combating illegal deforestation.

“Individual traceability is an important advancement, as it allows for more precise compliance analyses, including indirect suppliers, while simultaneously bringing the consumer closer to the product's origin, strengthening transparency, valuing local producers, and protecting the forest,” says Nelcina Tropardi, Vice President of Corporate Affairs, ESG, and Legal at Grupo Carrefour Brasil.

For Marco Oliveira, CEO of Atacadão, the initiative to support the Sustainable Livestock Program and encourage the purchase of this meat with individual traceability is aligned with the company's ESG strategy in the conservation of biodiversity and its own business model: "Pará is showing that it is possible to produce with quality, responsibility and compliance, ensuring that sustainable practices are accessible to all, and showing how retail has great potential to be a vector of positive impact to connect the topic with the consumer," he emphasizes.

“This is an important step forward for the entire livestock supply chain. By supporting producers in adopting best practices, we reinforce our commitment to increasingly sustainable and transparent production,” says Renato Costa, president of Friboi.

“Traceability is here to stay, and it’s a source of pride to see Pará leading the way. This advancement brings more value to our work and recognition to those who practice responsible livestock farming,” says Carlos Mafra Júnior, CFO of AgroCumaru, a company in the Mafra Group responsible for supplying the cattle with the tags. “With the support of JBS, we are showing that it is possible to produce with transparency and quality, generating opportunities for the entire chain.”

“The sale of the first batch of traceable meat marks the beginning of a new era for livestock farming in Pará. Focusing on reducing deforestation and valuing good practices, the individual identification program transforms the sector by promoting socio-environmental integrity, supporting small producers, and establishing clear recognition criteria. We are paving the way for more sustainable and valued production, with the potential to inspire all of Brazil,” says José Otávio Passos, Amazon Director at TNC.

Traceability and productive inclusion

Pará's public policy on traceability is the result of collaboration between the government, businesses, and civil society, and it utilizes electronic ear tags connected to the Pará Individual Bovine Traceability System (SRBIPA).

The Carrefour Brazil Group is a strategic partner and investor in the program, with resources allocated to three main areas:

1. Individual Traceability: Support for the purchase and application of electronic ear tags (Axis 1 – Increased transparency);
2. Technical Assistance and Regularization: Offering free advice to small and medium-sized producers for environmental regularization and access to credit (Axis 3 – Support for the producer);
3. Supply Chain Engagement: Multisectoral coordination to encourage other retailers and meat processing plants to adopt the model (Axis 5 – Governance and Engagement).

The contribution of R$ 10 million is part of the Carrefour Brasil Group's Forest Fund, which allocates R$ 50 million to projects aimed at combating deforestation and protecting biodiversity.

National impact and perspective

The Sustainable Livestock Program of Pará is a benchmark in the country and could, by 2027, supply other states with traceable and deforestation-free meat, including São Paulo, through the meat processing plants (SIFs) of Pará, which distribute products nationally.