Beef and dairy production remain cornerstones of global food systems, but their environmental cost is profound. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), livestock accounts for 14.5% of all anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, with cattle as the largest contributor. This is largely due to significant land-use change.

In regions like the Amazon, vast areas of forest have been cleared either directly for cattle grazing or indirectly to grow soybeans for animal feed. The European Union (EU), a major importer of both beef and soy, plays a critical role in the sustainability of these supply chains. Through regulatory change, it is now addressing its global environmental footprint head-on.

EUDR: Setting a new standard for deforestation-free supply chains

The European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) introduces a binding obligation for companies to ensure their products are not linked to deforestation. It covers seven high-risk commodities – cattle, soy, coffee, cocoa, palm oil, rubber, and wood – and their derived products, including beef, leather, and raw hides.

To place products on the EU market, companies must ensure they are deforestation-free (not sourced from land cleared after 31 December 2020), legally produced, and fully traceable. These requirements are enforceable with sanctions including fines of up to 4% of annual turnover, confiscation of non-compliant products, and bans from the EU market.

The EUDR offers a chance to reimagine cattle farming as a driver of sustainability rather than deforestation. While compliance still involves considerable manual effort, the regulation provides clear guidelines that support importers and suppliers in aligning with long-term environmental goals – and securing continued access to valuable EU markets.For progressive actors in the cattle industry, the EUDR offers a framework to build trust, demonstrate responsibility, and stand out in an increasingly sustainability-conscious global economy.

How the EUDR addresses the complexities of cattle supply chains

Cattle supply chains are difficult to trace, with animals often passing through multiple farms, traders, and slaughterhouses before reaching the EU. The EUDR directly targets this opacity by mandating traceability and due diligence at every step. 

Geolocation data for transparency
Companies must submit precise coordinates of the land where cattle were reared. This makes it possible to verify whether the land was deforested after the cutoff date, closing a critical loophole in current sourcing practices.

Robust supply chain documentation 
Operators must collect and maintain documentation for every link in the chain, from farm to export. This is designed to prevent laundering practices, where cattle are moved from non-compliant to compliant farms. 

Shared responsibility across the value chain 
Not just producers, but also slaughterhouses, processors, and importers in the EU are legally responsible for compliance and validating information from other suppliers and relevant stakeholders globally. 

Digital Tools as Enablers: Turning Complexity into Compliance 

Digital technologies are playing a pivotal role in supporting cattle supply chains to meet EUDR requirements with greater ease, speed, and accuracy. With features like satellite-based land monitoring, centralized data platforms, and AI-powered risk analysis, companies can ensure that deforestation-free claims are verifiable and fully documented, without the need for intensive manual processes.  

In the cattle industry, digital solutions are especially valuable because they enable stakeholders to track animals and the derived commodities accurately from farm to end product. Whether it’s verifying grazing land locations, ensuring transparency across multiple farms, slaughterhouses, and intermediaries, or identifying non-compliance risks, these tools turn complex compliance tasks into efficient, manageable processes. As a result, cattle producers and importers can confidently maintain EU market access, aligning profitability with long-term sustainability goals. 

The bigger picture: sustainable cattle farming in a regulated future 

The EUDR doesn’t seek to dismantle cattle farming, it seeks to future-proof it. By making deforestation-free and legally sourced goods the baseline for market access, it can catalyze a global shift in how cattle are raised, traded, and consumed. 

For EU-based importers, the time to act is now: engage upstream partners, assess risks, and build the systems needed to ensure full traceability. Those who adapt quickly will retain access to one of the world’s largest markets.  

Ultimately, the EUDR is not just about forests or cattle. It’s about aligning global trade with the values of climate action, ecosystem protection, and sustainability. 

How the osapiens HUB for EUDR enables compliance in the cattle sector 

With the osapiens HUB for EUDR, companies importing beef, leather, or other cattle-derived goods can ensure full compliance from pasture to product. The cloud-based osapiens HUB platform automates geolocation data capture, conducts AI-driven risk assessments, and provides a clear digital trail across even the most complex supply chains. 

Whether you’re a multinational importer or a regional distributor, osapiens makes EUDR compliance seamless, efficient, and future-ready, helping you drive sustainability without losing operational momentum.