Due to two cases of atypical mad cow disease, The Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Supply (MAPA) of Brazil announced on September 4 that it would suspend beef exports to China, which is a requirement of the health agreement signed between China and Brazil. So far, the Chinese government has not resumed imports of Brazilian beef, which has aroused the concerns of the Brazilian government and large meat manufacturers, because this may affect Brazil's annual export value of about 4 billion US dollars.

This is the longest embargo period imposed by China on Brazilian beef. In 2019, exports were suspended for 13 days because of the discovery of a case of mad cow disease in Brazil. It is reported that Tereza Cristina, Minister of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Supply of Brazil, has sent a letter to Chinese government to handle the relevant matters in person, but is still waiting for a reply. The Chinese authorities stated that they are analyzing the submitted information.

Brazil is the world's largest beef exporter, and its meat processors, such as JBS and Marfrig, have profited from China's growing protein demand. According to data from the Brazilian Meat Export Industry Association (Abiec), Brazil exported 490,000 tons of beef to China in the first seven months of this year, with an export value of US$2.5 billion, an increase of 8.6% and 13.8% year-on-year respectively.