ANTONIO WANDERLEY BASONI JÚNIOR AND THE FUTURE OF BEEF: BETWEEN TECHNOLOGY, TRACEABILITY, AND SUSTAINABILITY
Antonio and His Book
Antonio Wanderley Basoni Júnior grew up among numbers, livestock, and reports. A child of the countryside, educated in classrooms and refined through hands-on practice, he followed a unique path that crosses animal science, auditing, data science, and an ethical commitment to the food that reaches millions of tables. His professional journey is marked by a rare convergence of productive sensitivity, technical rigor, and strategic vision. With over three decades of experience at the intersection of animal production and sanitary control, he has established himself as one of the most respected voices in discussions on beef traceability and certification in Brazil and beyond.
Throughout his career, Antonio moved effortlessly through various areas of the agri-food sector. He took part in field inspections, helped formulate and improve technical regulations, monitored audits in slaughterhouses of all sizes, and participated in international sanitary assessment missions. His deep experience within the operational structures of Brazil’s Federal Inspection Service (SIF) and his role in governmental bodies and international organizations gave him a panoramic — yet deeply grounded — understanding of the challenges and opportunities in the beef production chain.
In 2025, Antonio brought this vast knowledge together in the book Technology and Innovation in Beef Production: Traceability, Certification and Sustainability. The book is born from the conviction that technical knowledge and professional ethics must go hand in hand. More than a set of regulations or a manual of procedures, the book proposes a critical cartography of the sector: mapping risks, identifying solutions, and, above all, proposing a new mindset. A mindset that understands beef production not merely as maximizing yield, but as ensuring trust, meeting rigorous sanitary standards, and assuming inescapable environmental commitments.
The depth of the book lies in its ability to engage multiple audiences — from producers seeking compliance with international markets to public policymakers, slaughterhouse technicians, auditors, and students entering the field. Antonio writes with both technical fluency and pedagogical clarity, building bridges between theory and practice, the farm and regulation, science and social responsibility.
By proposing a new mindset, the author challenges established paradigms. He demonstrates that the future of livestock production lies not in intensification at any cost but in the ability to produce with full traceability, transparent metrics, and measurable impact on animal welfare, public health, and environmental preservation. This is a clear call for the comprehensive professionalization of the sector — where each link in the chain, from farm to consumer, understands its role in constructing a more trustworthy, efficient, and sustainable food system.
Antonio shows that credibility — not just volume — will be the most valued currency in the international food trade of the coming decades. For Brazilian beef to maintain and expand its global leadership, it must demonstrate not just sensory quality or competitive cost, but verified origin, standardized protocols, environmentally sound practices, and animal welfare indicators. And this will only be possible through robust traceability systems, internationally recognized certifications, and data-based governance.
This is the conceptual shift the book aims to spark: moving from mere regulatory compliance to an active, strategic, and innovative stance. The future of beef, according to Antonio, will be defined not by those who produce more, but by those who track better, certify more consistently, and communicate transparently with consumers — who are increasingly demanding, informed, and connected.
At the end of this section, the book’s purpose is clear: to serve both as a beacon and a compass. A beacon, illuminating the pathways toward ethical, technological, and responsible livestock production. A compass, offering concrete directions for navigating a complex and interdependent landscape. In times of climate change, intensified sanitary surveillance, and growing demands for food safety, Antonio Wanderley Basoni Júnior’s book is an essential contribution — technically, politically, and morally — to rethinking Brazil’s role in the future of global food production.
Trace to Transform
For Antonio Wanderley Basoni Júnior, tracing an animal goes far beyond simple geographic location or recording sanitary events. It is about building a system of trust among producers, consumers, governments, and markets. In his view, traceability is a continuous and interconnected process that ensures transparency, auditability, and integrity at every stage of the beef production chain — from birth to plate.
The book pays special attention to SISBOV (Brazilian System for the Identification and Certification of Bovine and Buffalo Origin), a regulatory milestone that redefined Brazil's meat control and export standards. Created in response to international sanitary demands — particularly after the Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) crises — SISBOV has become a strategic tool for data integration, origin verification, and the valorization of certified products. For Antonio, SISBOV is just the beginning of a broader movement to restructure Brazilian cattle farming towards a model based on data, efficiency, and environmental ethics.
In his analysis, the author shows how traceability has become a prerequisite for accessing the most demanding markets, such as the European Union, Japan, South Korea, and Switzerland. Each of these countries and blocs operates under strict requirements regarding animal health, welfare, residue control, antibiotic usage, environmental practices, and documentation compliance. Without robust traceability, there is no room for improvisation: the international market is becoming a courtroom of production, and consumers are increasingly attentive to the origin of what they consume.
Antonio’s well-known statement — “to trace is to care” — carries an ethical weight that permeates the entire book. He presents traceability not merely as a regulatory requirement but as a practice of collective care, a technology that organizes and enables responsibility. Caring for the consumer, who has the right to clear and verified information about the food’s origin. Caring for the producer, who needs reliable tools to improve performance, avoid losses, and add value to production. And caring for the planet, ensuring that degrading practices such as illegal deforestation do not contaminate the food chain with irreversible impacts.
This vision expands the notion of traceability from a logistical control mechanism to a tool of agro-environmental governance, capable of coordinating actions across different actors and levels of the chain. In this context, data is no longer just a number in a digital bank — it becomes an indicator of trust, efficiency, and sustainability.
The book delves into the technologies that make such governance possible: radio frequency identification (RFID) chips, GPS collars, integrated management platforms, cloud-synced databases, blockchain for inviolable information authentication and tracking, and the increasing use of artificial intelligence for predictive analysis. Antonio not only describes these tools but also discusses the practical barriers they face — including cost, interoperability, and technical training — which must be overcome through public policies and strategic incentives.
One example examined in depth is the use of blockchain in the beef supply chain: with its decentralized and immutable architecture, this technology ensures that data cannot be altered, falsified, or omitted. It allows all stages — birth, vaccination, feeding, transport, slaughter, and commercialization — to be precisely recorded, composing a reliable history of the animal accessible in real time by consumers and regulators. For Antonio, this is the next frontier in traceability: transforming control into market value.
Another focus of the chapter is the role of certification entities. The author analyzes the challenges these institutions face in building credibility — from auditor training to institutional independence from commercial pressures. He affirms that the reliability of a seal depends not only on technical criteria but also on transparent processes, regular audits, and the strong performance of regulatory bodies.
Throughout the book, case studies involving national and international certifiers are presented, revealing that the standardization and interoperability of protocols across countries are essential to avoid trade bottlenecks and ensure fluid export processes. Antonio advocates for Brazil to assume a leading role in sanitary diplomacy and regulatory innovation, becoming not only a supplier of beef, but a global model of ethical and traceable production.
Certify to Compete
In today’s beef production landscape, certification is no longer an option or an occasional market advantage — it has become a fundamental requirement to access high-value markets, protect institutional reputations, and add value to agricultural products. Antonio Wanderley Basoni Júnior demonstrates with clarity and authority that the future of the beef production chain depends directly on the ability of its agents — producers, technicians, slaughterhouses, and public managers — to internalize international protocols and audit local practices with both technical excellence and ethical commitment.
The book argues that certification — whether of origin, sanitary, environmental, animal welfare, or social practices — has become the “green passport” for beef in international trade. In markets such as the European Union, Japan, South Korea, and China, consumers demand traceable food safety, measurable environmental commitments, and compliance with auditable labor and sanitary standards. Thus, beyond the act of production itself, what is evaluated is the governance model of the entire supply chain.
Antonio emphasizes that in this new context, it is not enough to produce well — one must prove that one produces well. This requires a robust system of records, controls, audits, and certifications that is understandable, auditable, and respected by international bodies. He demonstrates how Brazil, as the world’s largest exporter of beef, cannot remain competitive without aligning with international regulatory requirements and, more importantly, without seeking to lead normative innovation in the sector.
The book explores the technical aspects of certification with both didactic clarity and analytical depth. Antonio walks through:
• The steps of adherence and auditing of official protocols, such as those related to SISBOV and the Codex Alimentarius;
• The routines of sanitary inspections, which involve document verification, on-site visits, employee interviews, and direct observation of management and hygiene practices;
• Non-compliance reports, which identify failures and deviations from established criteria;
• Corrective Action Plans (CAPs), which must be quickly developed and implemented to resolve irregularities;
• And, especially, the mechanisms of mutual recognition between countries, which are fundamental to ensuring that a Brazilian certification is fully valid abroad.
Antonio makes it clear that while this process is complex, it is essential to ensure transparency, credibility, and predictability in international commercial transactions. Countries with gaps in their certification systems tend to face sanitary embargoes, tariff restrictions, and a loss of trust from importers — with serious economic and reputational consequences.
More than simply meeting requirements, the author presents certification as a strategic tool for sustainable competitiveness. Certification:
• Reduces sanitary and commercial risks by identifying and correcting issues before they become crises;
• Adds value to the product by positioning it in the market as safe, ethical, and sustainable;
• Positions Brazil as a global reference in food safety, raising the standards of national livestock;
• Creates a virtuous circle of governance, in which all actors in the supply chain — from small-scale cattle ranchers to major exporters — share responsibilities and reap benefits.
Antonio’s analysis also points to the domestic benefits of certification, such as the standardization of procedures, the professionalization of rural management, access to differentiated lines of credit, and entry into new institutional and corporate markets. He shows how external demands can be converted into opportunities for internal transformation, provided there is political will, technical support, and ongoing training.
At the end of this section, Antonio makes it clear that to certify is not merely to follow rules — it is to declare an ethical stance in production. It is to tell the world that Brazil is capable of producing beef with full traceability, strict sanitary control, environmental respect, and social responsibility. He proposes that the competitiveness of the future will not be measured solely in tons exported, but in tons that inspire trust, that carry stories of responsibility, and that express a production model grounded in science and citizenship.
Sustainability in Practice
For Antonio Wanderley Basoni Júnior, sustainability is not a buzzword for packaging or corporate speeches. It is an operational and ethical imperative that permeates the entire beef production chain. To sustain, according to him, means producing with long-term responsibility — acknowledging the environmental and social impacts of livestock farming and facing them with science, management, and innovation.
Throughout the book, Antonio presents concrete practices and technologies that help reduce the environmental liabilities of livestock farming, showing that productivity does not need to oppose conservation. Among the systems analyzed, the following stand out:
• Crop-Livestock-Forest Integration (ILPF): a model that promotes efficient land use, economic diversification, greater carbon sequestration, and natural pest control;
• Recovery of degraded pastures: through fertilization techniques, rotational grazing, and the introduction of legumes, which increase productivity per hectare and reduce deforestation pressure;
• Water management and spring conservation: strategies to reduce water use per unit of meat produced, with emphasis on automated drinkers, natural shading, and water reuse in slaughterhouses;
• Good animal husbandry practices: focusing on well-being, proper nutrition, and sanitary control, which not only reduce stress and methane emissions but also improve zootechnical indicators.
Antonio not only defends these practices — he documents field experiences, presents real case studies, and compares environmental performance indicators before and after the implementation of such strategies. He critically analyzes carbon emission indexes per kilogram of meat, advocating for fair calculation and contextualization of these indicators, considering system type, biome, life cycle, and adopted compensations.
One of the pillars of Antonio’s thinking is the conviction that only what can be measured and audited is truly sustainable. The book proposes an environmental management system based on data, focused on:
• Objective indicators (such as greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption, input use, vegetation cover, and soil regeneration rates);
• Digital recording and verification tools (such as field apps, drones, satellites, and interoperable databases);
• Environmental and social auditing protocols that validate sustainable practices and are recognized by international markets.
Antonio proposes that sustainability must shift from a defensive to a strategic offensive posture. That is, instead of merely responding to criticism or trade barriers with justifications, the sector should take the lead in a new productive paradigm — one that builds trust, fulfills the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and positions Brazil as a global reference in regenerative animal protein production.
The sustainability proposed by Antonio is technological, intelligent, and connected. Therefore, the book dedicates significant space to discussing emerging tools capable of monitoring, mitigating, and regenerating the environmental impacts of livestock farming. Among these tools are:
• Biochar: a type of charcoal produced from organic waste, which, when incorporated into the soil, increases fertility, reduces emissions, and sequesters carbon in the long term;
• Direct Air Capture (DAC) systems: promising technologies, still in the scaling phase, but with the potential to neutralize residual emissions in industrial plants and feedlots;
• Digital twins: dynamic virtual representations of farms or slaughterhouses that simulate resource use, energy efficiency, and emissions scenarios;
• Remote sensors and wearable devices for cattle: which monitor temperature, respiratory rate, movement, heat stress, and food intake — generating real-time alerts to improve animal welfare and reduce losses due to disease or inadequate handling.
Additionally, Antonio discusses the role of environmental blockchain in ensuring transparency in sustainable actions, allowing certifiers and consumers to track the ecological footprint of a meat batch from farm to supermarket.
As the author defines it, sustainability is not a department within a company, but a guiding principle for all decisions. It must be embraced by producers, technicians, trade associations, governments, and consumers as a collective pact of climate governance and food ethics.
In this sense, the book concludes this section with a strategic provocation: there will be no future for beef if it cannot prove that it is compatible with the planet’s ecological limits. And this proof will come not through speeches, but through public indicators, continuous monitoring, and international recognition of the good practices adopted.
A Technical Guide and an Ethical Call
More than just a reference work, Antonio Wanderley Basoni Júnior’s book stands as a true instrument of transformation. The structure is rigorously technical, with chapters that include comparative tables, process diagrams, traceability flowcharts, audit checklists, and consolidated best practice proposals. These didactic resources make the content accessible not only to specialists but also to managers and students who are beginning their journey in the world of certification and traceability.
However, the book goes beyond technique. It presents itself as a call to ethics in animal production. In a sector often pressured by productivity goals and international demands, Antonio proposes a systemic vision in which technique and social commitment go hand in hand. Rather than imposing dogmas, the author offers a grounded invitation to reflection, calling professionals in the sector to adopt an active stance in the face of contemporary dilemmas.
The language is clear, precise, and free from excessive jargon. The author’s practical experience, accumulated over more than three decades as a federal auditor, consultant, and educator, gives the work a vivid, realistic character deeply connected to the everyday life of slaughterhouses, rural properties, and certification offices. Each concept is illustrated with real examples, field diagnoses, and experiences gathered during official missions and international evaluations. This lends the book a technical authority and a human sensibility rarely combined in publications of this kind.
Impact and Legacy
By the end of the reading, what remains is not just a set of regulatory guidelines, but a genuine change in mindset. Antonio’s work does not merely teach how to produce beef; it teaches how to think of beef production as a political, ethical, and civilizational act. In a world that increasingly demands transparency, traceability, and environmental responsibility, the book functions as both a compass and a beacon for professionals who wish to align their practices with the challenges of the 21st century.
Antonio makes it clear and firm: the future of Brazilian beef depends less on quantity and more on the quality with which it is produced, certified, and communicated. The challenge of feeding billions of people cannot be met with fragile or improvised solutions. As the book demonstrates, it requires structured knowledge, robust systems, and — above all — solid values.
More than informing, the book educates. It does not merely convey content but shapes a worldview. By positioning the beef production chain as a space of choices — technical, economic, environmental, and moral — Antonio places his readers at the heart of the global debate on food security, climate change, and social justice.
In a context of radical transformations in how the world consumes, regulates, and inspects food, Technology and Innovation in Beef Production arrives as an essential, strategic, and timely work. It offers readers a solid foundation for understanding the processes that define beef not only as a product but also as a symbol — and provides practical tools for transforming reality in the field, the slaughterhouse, the lab, and in technical and regulatory offices.
Antonio Wanderley Basoni Júnior delivers to the agribusiness sector a work of both reference and awareness. A book to be read with pencil in hand and eyes wide open — not only to the technical details, but also to the responsibilities that every decision carries.
In the end, this book is not only about meat. It is about the way we produce life, economies, and futures. It is required reading for those who believe that 21st-century food production must be safe, traceable, auditable, regenerative — and above all, humane.