Brazil meat inspectors warn of global credibility crisis
Union says plan to privatise inspections risks trade, safety
7 October 2025
1 minute read
By: As Brazil faces the threat of losing billions of dollars with the 50% tariff imposed by the United States on beef, the government is preparing an even more devastating change: weakening the rules that ensure quality, trust, and respect for animal welfare in national protein production. In a recent news release, the National Union of Agricultural Federal Inspector (Anffa Sindical) warned that the proposal opens the door to serious sanitary risks, undermines the credibility of agribusiness, and jeopardises the health of the population and consumers in 157 other countries.
In 2024, exports of beef, pork, and chicken reached 9.6 million tons, generating US$ 26.1 billion — 15.9% of Brazil's total exports. With the new tariff, losses already amount to US$ 1 billion. Now, the country risks jeopardizing its foreign sales altogether by planning to allow meatpackers to hire private companies to inspect their own production, effectively handing inspection duties over to industries interested in speeding up and cutting costs in the process.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock's proposal runs counter to international requirements for rigour, traceability, and transparency.
"Countries like the United States keep inspections under government responsibility precisely to shield the system from economic interests that could compromise public health," warned Anffa Sindical president Janus Pablo Macedo. "If Brazil takes a different path, the market reaction will be immediate and devastating."
Animal welfare is also a major concern. "We have footage showing animals being slaughtered while still conscious, with their skin and limbs removed while alive. This is an extreme act of cruelty, and precisely why we stand against the self-control law," said Carla Lettieri, executive director of Animal Equality in Brazil.
Anffa Sindical has already taken the matter to the Brazilian courts, arguing that the measure compromises sanitary safety, violates constitutional principles, and directly threatens public health. The union warns: if Brazil insists on privatising inspections, it will not only lose strategic markets but also risk its reputation, built over decades, as a reliable food supplier — a setback with potentially irreversible consequences.
