Brazilian leather giant commits to Amazon cattle moratorium following indsutry pressure

One of the world's largest leather suppliers, and Brazil's second-largest beef exporter today backed Greenpeace's call for a moratorium on the purchase of cattle from farms involved in new deforestation in the Amazon with immediate effect. (1).

Bertin's announcement follows tough new policy statements from shoe retailers such as Clarks, Nike, Timberland, Geox and Adidas, in response to a Greenpeace report entitled Slaughtering the Amazon, which was released in June.

The report traced leather, beef and other cattle products from ranches involved in the destruction of the Amazon Rainforest back to top brands' supply chains.

The cattle giant now joins Marfrig, the fourth-largest producer of beef and beef products in the world, which adopted a similar commitment in July (2).

"Bertin's decision should pave the way for the modernisation of the Brazilian cattle industry", said Sarah Shoraka, Greenpeace Forests campaigner.

"Given the sheer size of both Bertin and Marfrig's operations, this commitment will have real impact on driving down Amazon deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions. Greenpeace will closely monitor the moratorium's implementation to ensure its success", said Shoraka.

In the next 180 days, Bertin will register and map all fatteningfarms which supply cattle directly to the company. For the rest of the supply chain, including rearing and nursery farms, Bertin believes that it will require two-years to implement a traceability system from farms to its slaughterhouses and processing facilities.

The company will also ensure it is not buying cattle from indigenous and protected areas or from farms linked to slave labour, land conflicts and land grabbing.

Marfrig and Bertin's commitment to end Amazon deforestation has isolated Brazilian JBS-Friboi, the world's largest producer and global exporter of processed beef. Contrary to its competitors, JBS-Friboi is staying silent on the issue and is expanding into the Amazon having rented several new facilities north of Mato Grosso State, an area which has the greatest rate of cattle ranching expansion and deforestation in the Amazon.

"JBS-Friboi must accept its responsibilities and stop fuelling Amazon destruction. It needs to join these companies in protecting the rainforest now," said Shoraka.

Brazil's entire cattle sector urgently needs to follow the soya industry's example and commit to a moratorium on expansion into newly deforested areas.Both the federal and state governments must ensure this is possible by mapping, registering and monitoring rural properties, helping the private sector to fulfill its corporate liabilities. Cattle ranching is the biggest driver of Amazon rainforest destruction and contributes to making Brazil the fourth largest climate polluter in the world.

Fernando Bertin, CEO of Bertin, S.A. said: "Environmental responsibility is increasingly relevant for a company like ours to maintain and enhance its position in Brazil and abroad. Today, we are making a fundamental step."

Nike agree to stop buying Amazon leather following Greenpeace report

The global sportswear company Nike has announced that it is to stop buying leather from the Amazon region of Brazil, following concerns that its shoes and trainers could be driving the destruction of the world's largest rainforest and contributing to climate change.

The move follows a Greenpeace report, released in June, which exposed how cattle hides from deforested areas were contaminating the supply chains of a number of global brands including Nike, Clarks, Adidas and Reebok. Deforestation for cattle ranching in Brazil alone is now the biggest driver of deforestation anywhere in the world.

A Nike spokesman will release the new company policy at their headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon at 1700 UK time. A host of British sports stars are sponsored by Nike and wear their products, including Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand, and the entire English Rugby Union team.

Reacting to the news, Greenpeace forest campaigner Sarah Shoraka said:

"Nike has recognised that trampling over the Amazon rainforest to produce leather for its trainers is an unacceptable way of doing business. Preparing land for cattle ranching is now the single biggest cause of deforestation in the world and a major driver of climate change.

"Nike has taken a bold step, and now we need to see other companies follow their lead."

The Greenpeace report has already caused significant movement within the Brazilian cattle industry, and it is hoped that Nike's decision will help pave the way for an industry wide moratorium on the destruction of forests for cattle ranching. Greenpeace is demanding that other shoe companies such as Reebok, Clarks and Adidas follow Nike's lead and support a moratorium.

The policy document that Nike signed today requires all of its suppliers "to certify that they are supplying leather for Nike Inc. products from cattle raised outside the Amazon biome." This policy will be in place until Nike feels that a reliable system of governance -with full traceability of cattle products which includes the guarantee that those products are not causing deforestation - in place in the Amazon.

These suppliers then have until July 2010 to create a fully traceable supply system, which will provide reliable proof that any leather used for Nike shoes has not been sourced from recently deforested areas.

The Greenpeace report, entitled Slaughtering the Amazon was released on June 1^st. It can be viewed at http://www.greenpeace.org/international/press/reports/slaughtering-the-amazon

The Nike policy is available to view at http://www.nikebiz.com/media/pr/2009/07/22_AmazonLeatherPolicy.html

UK high street brands driving Amazon destruction for beef and leather

A three-year, undercover investigation by Greenpeace into Brazil’s booming cattle industry has exposed links between some of Britain’s biggest brands and the destruction of the Amazon rainforest. Cattle ranching in the Amazon region is now the single biggest cause of deforestation in the world, and is being driven by the global export market.

The report also reveals how the Brazilian government has offered billions of dollars in loans to support the expansion of the cattle industry, despite its massive environmental impact. This investment severely undermines Brazil’s claims to be reducing deforestation, and jeopardises international efforts to protect the Amazon.

The new Greenpeace report, entitled Slaughtering the Amazon, tracks beef and leather products on their journey from farms involved in illegal deforestation and in some cases slavery, via giant processing facilities to the supply chains of global brands such as, Tesco, Adidas / Reebok, Nike, Clark’s, BMW, Carrefour, Ford, Honda, Gucci, IKEA, Kraft, and Wal-Mart.

Reacting to the report, Greenpeace forest campaigner Sarah Shoraka said:

“Running shoes, handbags and ready meals aren’t normally associated with rainforest destruction and climate change, but we’ve found a smoking gun. This new evidence shows how UK companies are driving the destruction of the Amazon by buying beef and leather products from unscrupulous suppliers in Brazil. These products are ending up on our shelves.”

Shoraka continued:

“The cattle industry is the single biggest cause of deforestation in the world and is a disaster for the fight against climate change. Big companies must take a stand and stop doing business with the worst offenders immediately.”

Deforestation is seen as an international priority in negotiations for a new climate change agreement, likely to be agreed at Copenhagen in December this year. Major international corporations and Governments are undermining efforts to tackle this issue through their links to deforestation and the cattle industry in Brazil.

40% of the UK’s processed beef (prepared, cooked or tinned) comes from Brazil. Nearly 90% of this comes from Bertin, JBS or Marfrig – three companies who knowingly buy significant volumes of cattle from farms engaged in recent and illegal deforestation. The massive popularity of ready meals in the UK (this country represents the largest market in the EU) along with our consumption of canned beef and leather products is contributing to a boom in global demand for Brazilian cattle.

For example, the report explains how a claim made by corned beef manufacturer Prince’s - that all of the meat used in their products is from long-established ranch areas – is in direct contrast to recent evidence which shows their suppliers accepting products from cattle farms involved in Amazon deforestation.

The evidence uncovered also exposes a key contradiction in the public statements of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula de Silva, who has pledged to double his country’s share of the global beef market by 2018 and whose Government has invested heavily in Bertin, JBS and Marfrig. The report contrasts these investments with his recent promise to cut deforestation by 72% by the same date and to set up an international fund for protecting the Amazon.

Greenpeace is calling on President Lula to introduce an immediate moratorium on further deforestation for cattle ranching, and to commit to zero deforestation in the Amazon by 2015. UK companies should immediately stop purchasing from Brazilian suppliers who refuse to commit to cleaning up their supply chains and must support a moratorium on all deforestation for cattle ranching.