The expansion of grazing lands into primary rainforests is one of the greatest causes of the destruction of rainforests in Central and South America. A legacy of the Spanish, in many countries, the number of cattle one owns is considered a sign of one's machismo.

The product of grazing in Costa Rica is a cow that is extremely lean and muscular, due to a combination of the breed (Brahma cattle from Asia), the steep slopes upon which the cattle graze, and the poor nutritional quality of the grasses that grow on cleared rainforest soil.

Yet, even though the beef is considered of lower quality, the US is still the largest importer of beef from Central America.