JBS Accused Of Buying Cattle From Ranchers Accused of Deforestation

Seven of JBS's leather and beef customers--including German clothing maker adidas AG (ADDYY, ADS.XE), Swedish furniture chain IKEA International A/S, and U.K. supermarket chains J Sainsbury PLC (JSAIY, SBRY.LN) and Asda Group Ltd.--canceled their business with JBS in response to recent findings linking the Brazilian company to deforestation and other illegal practices, Greenpeace said in a statement. JBS, the world's largest beef producer, purchases live cattle from independent suppliers and brings them to slaughter. The company says it has a tracking system that allows it to guarantee the origin of animals and avoid purchasing from ranchers blacklisted for deforestation, use of slave labor or raising cattle on protected land. But Greenpeace said it discovered JBS bought cattle last year from five farms accused of illegal deforestation by federal environmental agency Ibama. The company also hasn't done enough to monitor indirect suppliers, among other issues, Greenpeace said...more