Brazil’s environmental protection agency, IBAMA, has levied fines totaling 365 million reais (approximately $64 million) against cattle ranches and meat packers, including the major player JBS SA, for sourcing cattle from illegally deforested land in the Amazon.
IBAMA reported identifying 69 properties that sold 18,000 cattle raised on deforested land and found 23 meatpacking companies that purchased these cattle in the states of Para and Amazonas.
This enforcement operation aims to combat deforestation by monitoring the supply chain of cattle sourced from illegal areas.
JBS has denied allegations of purchasing cattle from the properties cited by IBAMA, asserting that none of their purchases originated from embargoed areas. The company emphasized that its geospatial monitoring system ensures compliance with environmental regulations, preventing them from acquiring livestock from farms engaged in illegal deforestation or encroachments on indigenous lands.
Cattle ranching, along with timber sales and soy cultivation, has significantly contributed to deforestation in the Amazon rainforest.
JBS, along with other major agriculture firms, has committed to eradicating deforestation from its supply chains by 2025, extending these efforts to indirect suppliers involved in the cattle trade.
Peoplesmind
