The export of live animals, especially cattle, occupies a relevant position in Brazilian agricultural logistics and requires a high degree of sanitary, operational, and environmental control. In this context, Pre-Shipment Stations (EPEs) are essential structures for organizing the activity, functioning as units for receiving, isolating, handling, and preparing animals before shipment abroad. The requirement for an EPE previously approved by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock is part of the legal regime for the export of live cattle, buffalo, sheep, and goats, according to MAPA Normative Instruction No. 46/2018, which regulates the preparation of animals from their origin to the point of exit from the country, by sea, river, air, or land. The same regulation establishes that animals destined for export must be gathered and isolated in a previously approved establishment, as well as accompanied by an International Zoosanitary Certificate (CZI), issued or endorsed by MAPA, in accordance with the requirements of the importing country.
From a technical standpoint, the Export of Live Cattle (EPE) should not be understood merely as a bureaucratic requirement, but as a central element of biosecurity, traceability, and compliance. The federal regulation incorporates animal welfare parameters by referring to the recommendations of the Terrestrial Animal Health Code of the World Organisation for Animal Health, in addition to requiring documentary control, animal identification, and specific procedures before shipment. In practical terms, this means that the export of live cattle, although permitted under Brazilian law, can only occur within a rigorous regulatory framework, involving sanitary authorization, official inspection, and compliance with technical protocols defined by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (MAPA) and the agricultural surveillance system.
From an environmental perspective, this is an activity with significant potential impact, especially due to the high concentration of animals, the generation of waste, the intensive consumption of water, and the need for frequent cleaning of facilities. In regions with high rainfall, such as a significant part of the Amazon, inadequate management of surface runoff can intensify the transport of organic matter and sediments, increasing the risk of soil contamination, contamination of water bodies and, under certain conditions, groundwater. Therefore, projects of this nature require drainage, containment, and management solutions for potentially contaminated stormwater, as well as treatment systems compatible with the size of the operation and the licensing requirements, in accordance with Law No. 6,938/1981, Law No. 9,605/1998, CONAMA Resolution No. 357/2005, and CONAMA Resolution No. 430/2011.
In this context, Law No. 15.190/2025 (General Environmental Licensing Law) acts as a structuring guide for the regularization process, establishing guidelines for classifying activities according to their polluting potential, defining typologies, licensing modalities, and technical criteria for environmental analysis, reinforcing the need for prior impact assessment and the adoption of control and monitoring measures throughout the entire operation.
Therefore, it is technically more accurate to state that a Power Plant requires integrated environmental management, and not just formal compliance with licensing. This involves defining licensing authority, according to Complementary Law No. 140/2011, assessing land use and occupation, managing solid and organic waste, controlling effluents, preventing odors, vectors and erosion processes, as well as regulating water use. Ibama acts in cases of federal jurisdiction, while in Pará, SEMAS conducts the licensing and granting processes, with the use of water resources being conditional upon proper authorization.
The use of water, in particular, constitutes one of the critical points of the activity, considering the demand for animal watering and operational cleaning. When there is surface or groundwater intake, the operation must comply with the granting of the right to use water resources, as provided for in Law No. 9,433/1997, an essential instrument for the quantitative and qualitative control of water resources.
Thus, the export of live cattle in Brazil must be understood as an activity of high regulatory complexity, whose viability depends on the articulation between sanitary, environmental and operational requirements. In sensitive areas, such as Amazonian regions with high rainfall, the level of requirement is even greater, demanding rigorous technical planning and continuous monitoring. From this perspective, EPE ceases to be merely a logistical support point and becomes a structure that requires legal compliance and permanent monitoring before the competent bodies.
In the context of live cattle exports, the Barcarena region, in the state of Pará, has consolidated itself as one of the main logistics hubs in the country, concentrating 51.41% of Brazilian exports of this activity in 2024, as highlighted by Guilherme Minssen, from the Faepa/Senar System. The prominence of operations at the Port of Vila do Conde and the growing implementation of Pre-Shipment Stations (EPEs) reflect the expansion of the activity in Brazil, which, although still representing a smaller share when compared to beef exports, shows significant growth. According to data from the Secretariat of Agricultural Defense, through the Department of Animal Health and the General Coordination of Animal Transit, Quarantine and Certification, the list updated on March 26, 2026, registers 33 Pre-Shipment Stations (EPEs) registered in the state of Pará, in regions near Barcarena, evidencing the consolidation and structured expansion of the activity. Factors such as the competitive cost per arroba (a unit of weight), livestock availability, and strategic location close to international markets reinforce the region’s logistical attractiveness, consolidating Barcarena as an export hub.
In this scenario, the growing demand for environmental regularization reinforces the need for adequate technical structuring of ventures, with the involvement of specialized consultancies being fundamental to ensuring compliance and operational safety.
Yvy Terra Assessoria & Gestão Ambiental operates strategically in the regularization, licensing, and environmental management of logistics and agricultural ventures, offering technical solutions aligned with current legislation and the particularities of the Amazon region.