Beef on Track Program records history in book

Never has there been a historical record of the process of eliminating deforestation in the Amazon linked to the cattle-ranching chain. The commitments made in the last decade so far have been reported only partially by observers of the facts over the course of time. For this reason, the Beef on Track program decided to record this story in a book by creating a review of more than ten years of the cattle-ranching commitments undertaken until the implementation of the commitment to apply the Unified Monitoring Protocol. 

With the support of the British Government and Partnerships for Forests, the book is available for free download at the website of the Beef on Track Program and will be launched through a 2022 schedule.

"The book shows that a structure has been consolidated up to this point and that, despite the rise in deforestation levels at rates that seem like we have taken a step backwards, there are strong reasons for new effective actions to be put in place," said author Isabel Garcia Drigo, Imaflora's Climate and Agricultural Chains manager. The book includes the results of the study Drigo carried out during her post-doctoral studies at the University of São Paulo (USP).

"Recording this history is very valuable because there are many who are not aware of all the things that are going on in this area. So, looking back, talking to the stakeholders who are a part of it, listening to the stories of the decision-making processes is very important. Even more so when the spokespeople of the institutions and companies change", stated Lisandro Inakake de Souza, who together with Marina Piatto, are co-authors of the book.

The book includes information with tables and graphs to make it easy to understand the two initial commitments signed by the beef chain in the Amazon: the Zero Deforestation Agreement with Greenpeace and the Term of Adjustment of Conduct with the Public Prosecutor’s Office. It also describes the important progress made and still needed, both to align the monitoring rules as well as to standardise audit criteria and procedures.

In its 60 pages, the book provides general notions about the development of the beef chain in Brazil, especially in the Amazon, besides explaining in accessible and easy-to-understand terms the rules and parameters of the limits of the Rural Environmental Registry (CAR).

This is recommended reading for those who are part of the chain and would like to understand it in a more systemic way; for those who wish to improve it since it offers practical information about regulations and for those who want to know more about the first steps being taken in this new stage in the history of cattle beef-ranching and the beef industry.