EIA exposes scale of livestock farming in National Parks; calls for approval of livestock traceability law

Cattle on deforested land in a national park

The data is clear: cattle ranching is devastating Colombia’s national parks and fueling deforestation in the Amazon.”

— Susanne Breitkopf, Deputy Director, Forests Team, EIA US

WASHINGTON DC, DC, UNITED STATES, February 19, 2025 / EINPresswire.com / -- The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) has revealed alarming evidence about the scale and impact of cattle ranching in some of Colombia’s most deforested national parks. In 2021, EIA exposed how Colombian supermarkets were linked to ranchers linked to deforestation in national parks and protected Amazon forests,

as well as funding armed groups, in its groundbreaking report Contaminated Meat . A new EIA analysis documents the scale of some cattle ranching in La Macarena, Tinigua, and Picachos National Parks. EIA’s new report, A Path to Accountability , highlights the urgent need for systemic reform, starting with the passage of a livestock traceability law. This legislation would prevent livestock linked to deforestation from entering formal supply chains and protect Colombia’s critical ecosystems.

Key Findings

Livestock Grazing in National Parks: More than 24,000 heads of cattle were reported grazing on more than 180 properties within three national parks in 2023 alone, with some properties hosting more than 500 heads of cattle.

Massive livestock transports from trails that overlap with National Parks: Between 2020 and 2024, more than 211,000 heads of cattle were transported from trails that are fully or partially within parks. The majority (85%) were moved to other properties or livestock concentrations, where their origin became untraceable.

Increased Deforestation: The Ministry of Environment reported a 40% increase in deforestation during the first quarter of 2024 compared to 2023, identifying livestock as a key driver.

Lack of transparency in supply chains: Without a robust traceability system, cattle linked to deforestation are mixed together in Colombia’s formal markets, including cities like Bogotá. This gap makes it impossible to know the origin of cattle, who is raising them, and who is driving demand, leaving supply chain actors unaccountable for their links to deforestation and consumers inadvertently complicit in forest destruction.

These findings come at a time when Colombia’s Constitutional Court declared that cattle farming, given its link to deforestation, is a matter of general interest. Therefore, private companies, such as supermarkets, cannot argue commercial confidentiality to deny requests for information related to the origin of their meat supply chains.

“The data is clear: cattle ranching is devastating Colombia’s national parks and fueling deforestation in the Amazon. These parks are not only home to extraordinary biodiversity, but are also critical in the fight against climate change. Now, Colombia’s Congress has the only opportunity to pass a robust cattle traceability law, enabling the government and civil society to identify and block the entry of deforestation-linked cattle into their supply chains. By passing this law, Colombia would set an important example for the region and the world,” said Susanne Breitkopf, Deputy Director, Forests Team, EIA US.

A Legislative Path Forward

As Colombia’s Congress debates a cattle traceability law, EIA emphasizes that any system must ensure full accountability across the entire supply chain, including farms, middlemen, and processing plants. To achieve this, EIA recommends that cattle be tracked from birth to slaughter using unique identifiers such as ID tags. Data should be verified through a secure digital system, incorporating GPS-enabled mobile apps that also work offline, as many rural areas have limited connectivity. Finally, data should be publicly accessible in real time, allowing consumers to verify the origin of livestock and ensuring transparency and accountability throughout the supply chain.

By incorporating these principles, the proposed legislation can prevent livestock linked to deforestation from entering supply chains, while distinguishing between major deforestation perpetrators and subsistence ranchers, ensuring the latter are supported rather than penalized.

About EIA

EIA US is a nonprofit organization recognized internationally for its use of innovative investigative techniques that expose environmental crimes and enable the sustainable management of the world's natural resources.