The JBS Sustainability department took part in the launch event for the "Brazilian Beef Carbon Footprint (“Pegada de Carbono da Carne Bovina Brasileira – PCCBB”, in Portuguese)” project, orchestrated by the Getulio Vargas Foundation's Sustainability Study Center (FGVces). The survey
focused on exports to the European Union and calculated greenhouse gas emissions throughout the Brazilian cattle breeding chain.
This is the first time JBS played an active role in this type of survey, roviding direct access to operational information. The study encompassed all aspects of cattle breeding from grazing to transportation, as the carbon footprint index measures the amount of direct and indirect carbon dioxide (CO2) missions.
The study included the following production chain processes: input transportation and production (animal feed, fertilizers and correctives), farming activities (breeding, backgrounding and fattening), live cattle shipping, production units, shipping to Brazilian ports and maritime transportation to the Rotterdam port, in the Netherlands. The study found that more than half of all cattle emissions occur during the reproduction stage, i.e., before the cattle reach the processing plant.
Claudia Jardim, JBS Sustainability coordinator, said “the industry must encourage this kind of study to continue improving carbon footprint information”.
The study was also supported by the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa) and other companies across the animal protein industry.
More information is available from the FGV website: http://gvces.com.br/pegada-de-carbono-da-carne-bovina-brasileira