Investigation Into Meat Giant JBS Exposes Links To Illegal Deforestation Of Indigenous Land & Critical Wildlife Habitat In Brazil

A new investigation conducted by Repórter Brasil in coordination with World Animal Protection reveals that JBS recently bought corn and soy crops from a farming operation that illegally exploits indigenous land, clearing, and planting in violation of Brazilian law.

Investigators visited the farm operation in question, met with neighboring communities, and spoke to workers, including employees in soy crushing plants and transportation, who confirmed the crops were destined for JBS as animal feed.

The indigenous communities residing in these regions have voiced distressing concerns pertaining to persistent harassment and intimidation, including confrontations with armed security personnel retained by the grain farmers supplying JBS.

“The ongoing land-grabbing activities that support JBS’s profits and expansion are a deeply troubling testament to its disregard for local communities, the environment, and animals,” said Annette Manusevich, Farming Campaign Manager at World Animal Protection U.S.

“These illegal practices not only strip indigenous people of their ancestral lands, but also contribute to environmental degradation and pose a severe threat to wildlife habitats. It is imperative that we confront these unethical practices, demand accountability, and work towards a more sustainable and equitable future for all,” continued Manusevich.

Although the Amazon Rainforest only covers about 1% of the planet’s surface, it is home to 10% of all wildlife species on Earth. The enormous Amazon river, with all its tributaries, contains 20% of the world’s flowing fresh water.

According to World Wildlife Fund, in the last 50 years, the Amazon has sadly lost at least 17% of its forest cover, its connectivity has been increasingly disrupted, and numerous endemic species have been subjected to waves of resource exploitation.

This investigation is a stark reminder of JBS repeatedly failing to exercise due diligence over its grain supply chain. Instead, the corporate giant operates as a global “meat machine” with a long history of covering up and greenwashing its harmful practices. In fact, this report is further proof that JBS continues to obscure its role in the ongoing relentless deforestation of biodiverse ecosystems in Brazil driven by increasing feed grain production.

The company must be held accountable for this ecological disaster, the profound loss of wild animals, and the illegal exploitation of indigenous land and its people.