This article unveils the governance dynamics of a frontier region for global value chains (GVCs). For this purpose, we developed a replicable methodology to analyze the interaction between public policies and the governance of GVCs to better assess sustainability impacts and business responses. We apply this methodology to understand the governance dynamics in the beef cattle GVC in the Brazilian Amazon. In Brazil, cattle ranching increasingly concentrates in the Amazon region, notably in the state of Pará, becoming the major driver of deforestation as public policies and law enforcement are ineffective. Using our methodology, we were able to identify the main weaknesses in governance pertaining to sustainability in the beef GVC.