Brazil creates protocol to return to exporting beef to the European Union; see how it will work

Brazilian government creates protocol with new rules for exporting beef to the Uni
The Brazilian government created a new protocol to try to keep national beef on the European Union market.
The measure seeks to meet the bloc's new requirements, which will begin demanding, from September 3, guarantees that animals intended for export have not received antimicrobials at any stage of their lives.
Unable to prove this requirement so far, Brazil remains off the list of countries authorized to export products of animal origin to the European Union after this date.
To meet the new requirement, the Ministry of Agriculture published, on May 29, an ordinance creating the Certification Protocol for Cattle Free from the Use of Antimicrobial Medicines.
Adhesion is voluntary, but will be necessary for those who intend to continue exporting meat to the European market. proof of control over the use of prohibited medicines.
After document analysis and inspection of the property, the certifier will be able to issue the certificate within seven days.
According to the Brazilian Confederation of Agriculture and Livestock (CNA), the sector is still in the adaptation phase and, to date, there are no properties certified under the new protocol.
"The protocol is recent. What is happening now is that producers are looking for certifiers to start the process", states the entity.
Brazilian meat veto: why the European Union wants more control over antibiotics in livestock farming
At the center of the dispute
The main challenge is in the beef chain and involves monensin, a substance widely used in feeding confined cattle.
In a confinement in Gama (DF), around 2 thousand animals are in the final fattening phase. Until slaughter, each one must weigh approximately 500 kilos. To do this, they receive a balanced diet daily, made up of cottonseed meal, corn and soy derivatives, as well as mineral supplements.
It is precisely in this mineral core that monensin usually resides.
"It is an ally of ours because it improves feed conversion. Without the product, we cannot achieve the same weight gain", says the livestock farmer responsible for the property.
When used as a medicine, monensin helps control parasites that cause diarrhea, especially in calves. In food, however, its function is to improve the digestive efficiency of animals.
"It reduces the population of less efficient bacteria and favors the development of beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract", explains veterinarian Álvaro de Castro.
Cost and uncertainty
Adjusting to the new rules will require investments on the part of producers.
"The producer will analyze whether the premium paid for this market compensates for the necessary investment. If it does, it will comply. If it does not, there is no point in entering to have loss", assesses a livestock farmer.
In Bela Vista de Goiás, producer Luana Peixoto fattens around 100 animals destined for export. Among the main markets are China and the European Union.
The animals will be slaughtered at the end of August, but the livestock producer still doesn't know if it will be able to ship the production to the European bloc.
"At this moment, we still don't know what the next steps will be. We will focus on the Chinese market, but we are waiting for a definition from Brazilian bodies and the European Union", he says.
To adapt to the new requirements, it will have to replace the monensin used in the herd's feed and seek a new certification.
"We would have to replace this product that we use today on the farm and pursue this certification process", he says.
Are there alternatives?
According to industry experts, there are alternatives to monensin, such as essential oils, probiotics and other natural additives.
A The animal nutrition industry claims that it has already been adapting to international requirements.
"The cost of these products is very close to that of traditional additives. Efficiency depends greatly on the diet, management and profile of each property. It is work that needs to be planned to guarantee results in the field", explains the commercial director of a company in the sector.
Negotiations continue
In a note, the European Commission reported that it continues negotiating with Brazil, but highlighted that the rules restricting the use of antimicrobials were defined in 2023 and that exporting countries had enough time to adapt.
The Brazilian Association of Meat Exporting Industries (Abiec) informed that it works together with the Ministry of Agriculture to meet the bloc's demands and that a European technical mission should visit Brazil in the second semester to evaluate progress and complete the qualification process.
What makes an egg jumbo Age of a chicken helps to explain

Source: G1