June 25, 2009

JBS has signed a pact with retail giant Wal-Mart, committing themselves to an agreement on harvesting beef in Brazil in a sustainably responsible manner.

Specifically in the Amazon Biome, both parties will work together to guarantee that beef will not be sourced from properties that have any irregularities particularly in relation to a blacklist drawn up by the Brazilian Environment Institute (IBAMA) or from ranchers that have in any way exploited child or slave like labour.

The pact also includes a commitment to trace, identify and control the cattle herd within the biome so that no illegal logging or deforestation can be associated with raising cattle in the region.

JBS is guaranteeing its own future by preserving the land, and the company will continue to work with retailers and consumers in preserving a balanced environment, said Joesley M. Batista, President of JBS S.A.

Leading retailers in Brazil, including CBD and local subsidiaries of Wal-Mart and Carrefour, have recently decided to stop buying beef produced in deforested areas of the Amazon. The decision followed a report by environmental group Greenpeace claiming the beef industry is the largest contributor to the deforestation in the Amazon.