U.S. to inspect Brazilian beef plants in May

A group of Brazilian beef processing plants will be inspected in May by a technical delegation from the United States, Brazil’s second-largest export market for beef.

According to Roberto Perosa, president of the Brazilian Association of Meat Exporting Industries (ABIEC), the U.S. delegation is part of a routine audit outlined in the sanitary inspection equivalence agreement between the two countries.

The inspections will take place amid global market instability caused by the U.S.-China trade dispute, and at a time when American demand for Brazilian beef is growing due to a tight domestic cattle supply. The meat is primarily used by the U.S. processing industry.

Major companies such as JBS, Marfrig, and Minerva operate facilities authorized to export beef to the United States and could be among those subject to inspection this year.

Luis Rua, secretary of Trade and International Relations at Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture, told Valor that the audit will assess Brazil’s export system as a whole rather than focusing on individual companies.

The audit was announced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).

Since the U.S. reopened its market to Brazilian beef in 2017, Brazil has undergone audits in 2017, 2019, 2020, and 2022—none of which were linked to punitive actions or non-compliance issues, according to Mr. Perosa.

The inspections typically occur every two years and focus on technical and laboratory procedures as part of ongoing trade compliance between the countries.

“The industry welcomes this next stage with full transparency and confidence in the strength of Brazil’s inspection system and its adherence to international standards for food safety and quality,” Mr. Perosa said.

In the first quarter of 2025, Brazil’s beef exports to the U.S. rose 46.7% year-over-year, reaching 164,640 tonnes, according to data released on Tuesday (15) by the Brazilian Meatpackers Association (ABRAFRIGO).

Revenue from those exports increased even more sharply, up 68.7% from the same period last year to $557.15 million.

As a result, the U.S. share of Brazil’s total beef export revenue rose from 12.2% in 2024 to 17% in 2025. The average price per tonne of beef exported to the U.S. also climbed, from $2,943 last year to $3,384 this year.

Fonte: Valor International

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