Marfrig Group, one of the world’s largest food producers, announced it has joined in a partnership with other organizations to promote sustainable cattle production in the Amazon region. The partnership includes The Nature Conservancy, a leading conservation organization, and Walmart Brazil, a leading retailer.
Marfrig Group recently re-opened its Tucumã facility in Brazil’s North Region. The plant, which has been idle since 2009, can process 1,000 head of cattle per day. Measures required to re-open the plant include mapping and organizing cattle suppliers based on Marfrig’s social and environmental best practices adopted throughout its production units.
“This engagement with Walmart Brazil and TNC is fundamental for encouraging more and more rural producers to adopt sustainable practices on their ranches and comply with the responsible management standards that are implemented throughout our entire production platform in Brazil, which is unprecedented in the industry,” said James Cruden, CEO of Marfrig Beef, the company’s dedicated beef production segment.
As part of the initiative, Marfrig and TNC will provide technical resources to promote compliance with environmental laws and expand responsible production among cattle producers operating in São Félix do Xingu and Tucumã, located in southeastern Pará which has the largest cattle herd in Brazil. Walmart Brazil will offer consumers products they can be assured were obtained through the best social and environmental practices, according to Marfrig.
“Sustainable products must also be accessible to our clients in terms of quantity, price and quality,” said Camila Valverde, Sustainability director for Walmart Brazil. “Achieving these objectives requires a commitment by the entire chain. Only in this way will we be able to give consumers an opportunity to buy products of proven origin.”
The collaboration is planned for three years during which the partnership will support ranchers with technical expertise such as pasture management and recovering deforested areas. The organizations also will improve systems used to monitor production and increase the accuracy of beef tracking systems in the region.
