Santa Catarina will accelerate approval of the Rural Environmental Registry

Responding to the appeal of the main agribusiness entities in Santa Catarina (Faesc, Fetaesc, Ocesc, Fecoagro, Sindicarne, Sicoob and Sindileite), the Legislative Assembly approved and the governor sanctioned a law that includes the Secretariat of Agriculture and Livestock in the State Environmental System – Systema. The main practical result expected from this measure is the approval of the 397.731 existing rural environmental registrations.

Created by Law No. 12.651/2012, the Rural Environmental Registry (CAR) is a nationwide electronic public record, mandatory for all rural properties, with the purpose of integrating environmental information on rural properties and possessions, composing a database for control, monitoring, environmental and economic planning and combating deforestation.

The president of the Federation of Agriculture and Livestock of the State of SC (Faesc), José Zeferino Pedrozo, points out that registration in the CAR is the first step towards obtaining the environmental regularity of the property, and includes: data from the owner, rural possessor or directly responsible for rural property; data on documents proving ownership and/or possession; and georeferenced information on the perimeter of the property, areas of social interest and areas of public utility, with information on the location of remnants of native vegetation, Permanent Preservation Areas (APP), Restricted Use Areas, Consolidated Areas and of Legal Reserves.

The rural owners completed the CAR in a self-declaratory process, but the review and approval of these registrations by the State Government is now lacking, a task that should have started in 2021. Registration in the Rural Environmental Registry and approval by the official state body allow access to the benefits of the Environmental Regularization Program (PRA) and guarantee interest reduction in rural credit operations for funding and investments.

Advances

Last week, acting State Governor Mauro de Nadal sanctioned law No. 18.973, of July 11, 2024, including the State Secretariat for Agriculture and Livestock in the State Environmental System, which will allow it to participate in the management of the Registry Rural Environment, the Environmental Regularization Program (PRA), the Certification of Environmental Reserve Quotas (CRA) and sustainable rural development policies. The matter was presented and defended in the Legislative Assembly by deputy Altair Silva, approved in all committees and in the plenary, and forwarded to the acting governor for sanction.

Pedrozo points out that this is an achievement for the entire productive sector and, for this, he thanked the governor and the parliamentarian. “Now, the Department of Agriculture will be able to create a working group to approve the CAR of each producer/rural owner, bringing the benefits that the law provides, such as legal and financial, to producers”.

The PRA makes it possible to suspend sanctions due to legal infractions due to irregular suppression of vegetation in Permanent Preservation Areas, Legal Reserves (RL) and restricted use, in addition to the regularization of areas without fines for administrative infractions or environmental crimes.

 “With the PRA, the producer also gets easier access to rural credit, contracting agricultural insurance under better conditions and a 20-year period for recovering environmental liabilities. These are important benefits for our farmers, who are true protectors of the environment”, highlights Pedrozo.

Mandatory registration

In Santa Catarina, the Rural Environmental Registry can be completed via the website www.car.sc.gov.br. CAR registration is permanent and mandatory for all rural properties or possessions in the country.