A new law proposed by the Brazilian government would end mandatory inspections of meat production, leading to a surge in extreme cruelty, chemical contamination and employee health and safety.
Dozens of animal advocacy groups, conservationist groups and Brazilian senators have now joined forces to express collective concern over the Agriculture Department’s self-control bill.
If approved, the law would enable the government to withdraw all mandatory state inspections of the livestock industry. Federal inspectors will monitor compliance by reviewing company reports without requiring on-site oversight.
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The bill was introduced to increase the capacity of the livestock sector to increase exports. But the charity warned that animal welfare and hygiene standards were “extremely at risk” and that “already vulnerable farmed animals would be at greater risk of extreme violence and cruelty”.
Abigail Penney, Executive Director Animal Equality UKSaid: “This problem is much closer to home than you initially thought.
“The UK imports tens of thousands of tonnes of animal products from Brazil every year, and the lack of regulation is disturbing to know how these animals live and die.
“The suffering they endured will be forgotten forever. Ultimately, if the government doesn’t protect them, we as consumers can take animals off our plates.”
Those companies that choose to be inspected will be allowed to hire private inspectors or companies to oversee legal compliance.
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This has raised alarm among members of the Association of Inspectors (ANFFA Sindical), who admit there is a conflict of interest as private companies will not have the resources or power to balance the interests of large food businesses and risk losing payments if they stress failure client.
The bill would also allow automatic approval of animal vaccines, antibiotics and antiparasitic drugs for use on farms without commercial purposes, without first being formally assessed by government professionals and without the need for a formal approval permit. be given.
Activists say the government’s removal of inspections also means that the use of illegal agrochemicals cannot be easily identified and stopped, produced and sold at low prices that are not approved by the authorities, and could lead to serious public health problems.
The bill was approved in the lower house of Congress in May 2022 and sent to the Senate in the same month. A public hearing was held in early June, but only representatives from the agribusiness sector and ANFFA Sindical-o were invited.
Carla Lettieri, executive director of Brazil’s Animal Equality, said: “The bill is moving at such a fast pace, it’s clearly moving fast.
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“This bill is a blatant attack on current protections to protect animal welfare, our environment and human health. We will not sit idly by while our laws are relaxed. The only ones that will win are livestock, and they will be left to self-discipline.”
Brazil’s animal equality group coordinated several actions to shed light on the bill’s potential negative impacts, including a letter calling on senators to reconsider the bill’s approval. Supporters include Greenpeace Brazil, Compassion for Animals and the Instituto Brasileiro de Defesa do Consumidor (IDEC).
This latest joint operation has successfully revived the public consultation vote, and now, with increased public awareness, more Brazilian citizens voted against the bill than in favor.
According to the latest published data Agriculture and Horticultural Development AuthorityThe UK imported £3.2m worth of fresh beef in 2021, with Brazil accounting for nearly half of processed beef imports in 2021, equivalent to £33.6m of meat.
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Brendan Montague is the editor of The Ecologist.This article is based on a press release from Animal Equality UK.
