FIRE SALES – FURTHER TRADE LINKS TO THE PANTANAL BLAZES
Further links between fires in the Pantanal and
Pecuária – part of the Amaggi group, which has 10
ranchers supplying Brazil’s largest beef processors
ranches in Mato Grosso and also reportedly supplies
were made in Repórter Brasil’s September 2020
all three leading meat processors – and to Fazenda Rio
investigation.
Bonito, which supplies JBS and Marfrig.388
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Their analysis focused on five rural
properties in the state of Mato Grosso where the
Some of the facilities discussed above have also
Instituto Centro de Vida identified ignition points for
recently been linked to environmental destruction
fires in this part of the Pantanal in 2020 (see ‘Under
in other biomes. For example, an earlier Repórter
fire’ above).
Brasil investigation found that JBS’s Diamantino (SIF
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It revealed that two of the cattle ranches
on these properties have trading links to Brazil’s
3000) facility was supplied by two ranches allegedly
largest beef processing companies – JBS, Marfrig and
engaged in illegal deforestation in the Cerrado,
Minerva.
including one that the INPE monitoring system
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According to Repórter Brasil, Raimundo
Cardoso Costa – owner of Fazenda Comitiva, where
reportedly showed had cleared 835 ha without
fires began (accidentally, according to Costa) that
authorisation in 2015 and 2016. According to Repórter
ultimately destroyed 25,188 ha – is also listed by the
Brasil, the owner of the other ranch had been accused
Mato Grosso State Secretariat of Finance as the owner
by the Public Ministry of the State of Mato Grosso
of an adjacent property, Fazenda Recanto das Onças.
(Ministério Público do Estado do Mato Grosso) of
The investigation identified this ranch as having sold
having illegally cleared 616 ha of native vegetation
cattle to the Bom Futuro group, which reportedly
between 2011 and 2016 in this property, located in
supplies all three processing companies. Repórter
an area of high biodiversity in a transition region
Brasil also investigated Fazenda Espírito Santo, which
between the Cerrado and the Amazon and close to
it identified as the ignition point for fires that led to
Indigenous lands. The investigation also determined
the destruction of 14,292 ha. Its owner, José Sebastião
that this ranch had supplied cattle to Marfrig
Gomes da Silva, reportedly owns another ranch,
Paranatinga (SIF 2500) and indirectly to two other
Fazenda Formosa, that supplies cattle both to Amaggi
Marfrig processing facilities in Mato Grosso.389
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