China has received the first verified deforestation and conversion free (vDCF) beef shipment from Brazil

BEIJING, Dec. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A milestone for global sustainable trade was announced on Forest Action Day (Nov 18) at COP30, confirming that China has received its first shipment of independently verified deforestation and conversion free (vDCF) beef from Brazil. The confirmation underscores China's growing demand for responsibly sourced commodities and the significance of this development.

The verification was conducted by BDO which also audits MBRF, the exporting company in Brazil, and its full monitoring system under the Boi na Linha protocol and the DCF criteria developed by WWF and partners. The beef undergoes strict traceability from origin to slaughter, covering direct and indirect suppliers with daily geospatial monitoring. This ensures no sourcing from deforested or embargoed areas, protected regions or Indigenous lands, while maintaining full socioenvironmental compliance. The system's rigor surpasses previous industry standards.

Lunyan Lu, CEO of WWF China stressed that this achievement results from joint efforts by WWF China, WWF Brazil and other partners. As the world marks a decade of the Paris Agreement, China's concrete purchasing decisions are becoming pivotal drivers in accelerating the global shift toward deforestation-free supply chains. By sending a strong demand signal for DCF products, China is reshaping market expectations.

WWF played a key facilitating role, strengthening dialogue and technical cooperation between Chinese and Brazilian stakeholders. Through ongoing engagement with Chinese companies to commit to and act on sustainable sourcing—and by promoting green trade standards aligned with AFi—WWF helped create clear market signals from China. These signals prompted producer-side responses in Brazil and advanced critical milestones toward DCF supply chains.

Mauricio Voivodic, Executive Director of WWF-Brazil added that China and Brazil are increasingly influential in global climate governance. China's interest in DCF products signals to Brazilian producers that adopting DCF measures offers a competitive advantage in a high-demand market.

GAO Guan, Vice President, China Meat Association (CMA) affirmed that over the past decade, CMA and WWF issued the China Meat Sustainable Development Declaration, created the group standard Green Trade Specifications for the Meat Industry, certified "Green Trade Demonstration Enterprises"，and advanced green supply chain transformation. Brazil's first verified DCF beef shipment highlights these efforts and marks China's shift to verifiable, traceable green meat trade.

By prioritizing deforestation-free sourcing, China and Brazil together demonstrate leadership in aligning economic development with environmental integrity, offering credible solutions to global deforestation challenges.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2837358/David_Bebber_WWF_UK.jpg