New evidence has reportedly emerged that appears to connect JBS – described as the world’s biggest meat company – with cattle from a farm in Brazil that is “under sanction for illegal deforestation” of the Amazon rainforest.
That’s according to a report in the The Guardian.
The publication reports that this is the “fifth time in a year that allegations have surfaced” linking JBS to farmers in the Amazon that have been associated with illegal deforestation.
The article states that photographs taken by a JBS truck driver show cattle being transported “from a farm which had land under embargo after being fined for deforestation…to a ‘clean’ farm which then sold cattle on to JBS”.
The photographs, according to The Guardian, “appear to indicate that JBS is in contact with at least one indirect supplier who has been sanctioned for deforestation”.
JBS has reportedly disputed some of the claims within the article.
Previous controversy
Some readers might remember that JBS was embroiled in controversy when it was one of more than 30 companies raided by Brazilian authorities as part of Operation Weak Flesh – back in 2017.
Also Read: Brazilian beef and poultry industry plunged into major scandalThe raids took place in response to allegations that some of the country’s biggest meat processors had been “selling rotten beef and poultry for years”, according to the reports from the BBC.
The BBC said at the time that “three meat processing plants have been closed and another 21 are under scrutiny”.
While some of the meat produced by the factories was consumed domestically, much of it was exported to Europe. It’s worth noting that Brazil is still the world’s largest exporter of red meat.
The raids were carried out by federal police in almost 200 locations. Over 1,000 officers and officials were involved in the large-scale operation.
Among the allegations was a charge that politicians and official health inspectors were, in some instances, bribed by plant managers.
