Cattle Ranching in the Amazon

This is a very common graphic that depicts what the main causes of Amazon deforestation are.

Check out how much land is clear cut for cattle! To me it is crazy how famous Brazil is for their beef, when the fact is that that cattle ranching is the main cause of environmental degradation, as well as social unrest among native people, in the Amazon. Next time you see Brazilian beef on the menu at a restaurant, think about the deforestation that had to occur to produce that steak. Use your dollars wisely, if you can, don't purchase Brazilian beef. Alsom think about the fossil fuel inputs required for deforestation, processing and transportation.

Having said that, not all beef is produced unsustainably. Some Brazilian beef is now eco-certified, meaning ranchers follow strict environmental regulations. These ranchers must leave half their land forested, must protect riparian zones (area between land and streams), and must reduce erosion by resitricting livestock from waterways, among other things. But ranchers must be given incentives to follow these regulations, otherwise they will continue to do what they do because it is more affordable. However, the growing demad for organic food shows that consumers are willing to pay more for environmentally friendly food, meaning they would also be willing to pay more for environmentally friendly beef. This price premium should be established to trickle down to the eco-rancher. Brazil is not well known for it's administrative responsibility though, so third-party regulation is crucial.

Check out this article from Mongabay.com (an environmental website) for more on eco-certified Brazilian beef.