19 May 2026
The Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAPA) has enacted a significant regulatory shift in the country's animal production sector. On April 27, 2026, MAPA published 'Portaria SDA/MAPA nº 1.617/2026' (See attached), establishing a nationwide ban on the importation, manufacture, marketing, and use of antimicrobial additives used as growth promoters that contain molecules classified as crucial for human or therapeutic veterinary medicine. The new ordinance immediately cancels the product registrations for these specific growth promoters.
The Prohibited Substances
The regulatory action targets five major antimicrobial substances and derivatives that have been widely utilized within the industry:
1. Avoparcin
2. Bacitracin
3. Zinc Bacitracin
4. Bacitracin Methylene Disalicylate
5. Virginiamycin
Under the new guidelines, products with dual indications, those registered for both therapeutic use and performance enhancement, must undergo an immediate administrative registration update to completely remove any growth promotion claims. Moving forward, the use of these specific molecules will be strictly restricted to therapeutic veterinary purposes, requiring a valid veterinary prescription.
Transition Timeline and Market Recall
To facilitate an orderly adjustment for commercial feed manufacturers and farmers, MAPA, through 'Ofício-Circular nº 29/2026/CGIPE', has outlined a phased transition timeline to address existing inventories.
Authorized AGPs
Despite this substantial intervention, the ban remains partial. MAPA's current regulatory framework continues to permit the registration and use of several key antimicrobial growth promoters ('aditivos melhoradores de desempenho') for poultry production. Substances such as: Avilamycin, Enramycin, Flavomycin, and Halquinol remain legally approved for zootechnical performance enhancement in Brazil.
