Brazilian federal police and agents from the national environmental protection agency (IBAMA) have seized 3,100 cattle that were grazing illegally in a protected of the Amazon region in the state of Pará.

Environment minister Carlos Minc announced yesterday that the cattle would be auctioned, with the proceeds going towards Fome Zero (a food and welfare programme for the poorest Brazilians), health programmes for indigenous people, and further cattle removal operations.

Minc said there will be ‘no more going soft’ with regard to illegal grazing, and indicated that 10,000 cattle in a protected area of the state of Rondônia will be next in line for seizure and auction unless their owner removes them within two weeks.

Source: Agência Brasil and Embassy of Brazil in London