Brazil Becomes Global Leader in Beef in 2025, Surpassing the United States with 12.35 Million Tons

Written by Noel Budeguer

Published on 17/12/2025 at 16:02

A disputa pela carne bovina global esquenta, o Brasil lidera em 2025 com 12,35 milhões de toneladas e os EUA ficam logo atrás

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Brazil Surpasses The United States And Assumes 1st Place Worldwide In Beef In 2025, While 2026 Indicates A Tight Showdown

The Brazil takes the position of largest producer of beef in the world in 2025, surpassing the United States in total volume.

The estimate points to 12.35 million tons for Brazil and 11.81 million tons for the US, considering the weight of the animal carcass.

This advance reinforces the weight of the Brazilian livestock sector and alters the picture of the international market, with impacts on exports, prices, and competition for buyers.

ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW

What Happened And Why It Got Attention

For the first time, Brazil occupies the top of the USDA statistics, which began in the 1960s and kept the US in the lead.

The milestone highlights Brazilian livestock in a global indicator that usually guides supply projections and purchasing movements in foreign trade.

The report was published on last Tuesday (9), detailing volumes for 2025 and projections also for 2026.

Numbers For 2025 And The Difference To The Government’s Estimate

The estimate for 2025 indicates 12.35 million tons in Brazil, compared to 11.81 million tons in the United States.

There is a difference in relation to the most recent official projection made in the country, published by Conab.

In November, Conab estimated 11.38 million tons of beef in Brazil in 2025, indicating an increase compared to the previous year.

What Could Happen From Now On In 2026

The projection for 2026 indicates a decrease in Brazilian volume compared to 2025, with the market heading toward a balance between the two countries.

Brazil shows 11.7 million tons and the United States with 11.71 million tons in 2026.

This scenario reduces the distance between the two powers and may intensify competition for buyer markets throughout the next year.

Tariff, Inflation, And Pressure On The American Market

The year saw the impact of the tariff imposed by the US president, Donald Trump, on the import of various products, including beef.

At the same time, the United States faced a historic low in its cattle herd, which raised costs and helped drive inflation in meat prices.

In this context, Trump even mentioned the possibility of increasing the entry of Argentine beef to try to lower prices, generating a reaction among local ranchers.

Brazilian Exports, Tariff, And Record Sales

Brazil, the main supplier to the American industry, faced a 50% tariff on sales to the US, with a decline in volumes after a strong increase at the beginning of the year.

Even so, in September, the country set a record for international beef sales for a single month, surpassing the figure from July.

Shipments diversified, with the inclusion of destinations like Mexico, and sales to Argentina also advanced.

The tariff was lifted for beef and other foods from Brazil in November, easing pressure on this trade flow.

US With Fewer Cattle, Restrictions, And Plant Closures

The US cattle stocks in January fell to the lowest level in almost 75 years, after years of drought affected pastures and raised feed costs.

Supplies became even more restricted because the US suspended, since May, most imports of Mexican cattle due to concerns over the spread of New World screwworm, a carnivorous pest that infests cattle.

With lower supply, slaughterhouses began to pay more for cattle intended for hamburger and steak production, putting pressure on prices.

On last Friday (12), JBS announced that it will permanently close a plant near Los Angeles, dedicated to preparing beef for supermarkets.

Tyson Foods also announced the closure, in January, of an important slaughter plant in Nebraska, which employs about 3,200 people.

Brazil ends 2025 with 12.35 million tons and assumes the global leadership in beef production, ahead of the United States.

For 2026, the projection of 11.7 million tons in Brazil and 11.71 million tons in the US signals a tighter competitive scenario, with heightened attention to supply, prices, and trade decisions throughout the period.

Brazil Becomes Global Leader in Beef in 2025, Surpassing the United States with 12.35 Million Tons

Brazil Surpasses The United States And Assumes 1st Place Worldwide In Beef In 2025, While 2026 Indicates A Tight Showdown

What Happened And Why It Got Attention

Numbers For 2025 And The Difference To The Government’s Estimate

What Could Happen From Now On In 2026

Tariff, Inflation, And Pressure On The American Market

Brazilian Exports, Tariff, And Record Sales

US With Fewer Cattle, Restrictions, And Plant Closures

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Brazil Becomes Global Leader in Beef in 2025, Surpassing the United States with 12.35 Million Tons

Brazil Surpasses The United States And Assumes 1st Place Worldwide In Beef In 2025, While 2026 Indicates A Tight Showdown

What Happened And Why It Got Attention

Numbers For 2025 And The Difference To The Government’s Estimate

What Could Happen From Now On In 2026

Tariff, Inflation, And Pressure On The American Market

Brazilian Exports, Tariff, And Record Sales

US With Fewer Cattle, Restrictions, And Plant Closures

A giant printer called the “Ferrari” of concrete has landed in Latin America and can already build a 120-square-meter house in just 48 hours, making the traditional construction site look like something from the last century.

Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt has ceased to be a climatic phenomenon and has become a biological system that feeds on itself, with 8,000 kilometers in length, 37 million tons of algae, and scientists confirm that it is now permanent.

A British company has installed in the middle of the ocean the world’s first floating platform that generates electricity 24 hours a day from the temperature difference between the surface and the depths of the Atlantic, without relying on wind or sun.

China is building an artificial island in the middle of the sea, covering 20 km², to construct the largest offshore airport in the world, the Dalian Jinzhouwan. This $4.3 billion project is anchored on more than 3,000 pillars embedded in the rock beneath the ocean and is scheduled to open in 2035.

Austrian engineers have developed an inflatable concrete technology that transforms flat slabs into domes using only air pressure, eliminating scaffolding and temporary forms, and potentially changing the way bridges, tunnels, and curved roofs are constructed worldwide.

Engineers had to pour concrete mixed with tons of ice throughout entire nights in the Dubai desert to erect the Burj Khalifa; any carelessness could clog the pipes half a mile high.

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Exports of Minas Gerais agribusiness fall to US$ 5.8 billion in the first four months, but Minas maintains national strength with coffee, meat on the rise, and sales to 160 countries.

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Canada invests more than 2 billion dollars to upgrade an old nuclear laboratory and try to rival the world’s major atomic energy powers.

After nearly twenty years of halted and resumed construction, the Transnordestina has reached 79% completion and finally promises to connect the hinterland to two ports on the Northeast coast.

Madrid wants to build the world’s largest Ferris wheel at 260 meters and €300 million, surpass Dubai, transform Spain’s landscape, and create its own ‘Eiffel Tower’ in a project that still faces resistance and depends on approval.