New York Attorney General Sues Meat Processor JBS Over Climate Claims

[Judi Lynn]

1. JBS: The Brazilian butchers who took over the world

If you eat meat, you probably buy products made by one Brazilian company. A company with such power it can openly admit to having bribed more than 1,000 politicians and continue to grow despite scandal after scandal. And you’ve probably never heard of it.

Meat is now the new commodity, controlled by just a handful of gigantic firms which together wield unprecedented control over global food production. The Bureau has been investigating the biggest of all: JBS, a Brazilian company which slaughters a staggering 13 million animals every single day and has annual revenue of $50bn.

When it comes to scandals, you can take your pick — during its rapid rise to become the world’s biggest meatpacker, JBS and its network of subsidiaries have been linked to allegations of high-level corruption, modern-day “slave labour” practices, illegal deforestation, animal welfare violations and major hygiene breaches. In 2017 its holding company agreed to pay one of the biggest fines in global corporate history — $3.2bn — after admitting bribing hundreds of politicians. Yet the company’s products remain on supermarket shelves across the world, and its global dominance only looks set to grow further.

In a two-part investigation published today, the Bureau revealed in partnership with the Guardian and Repórter Brasil that Amazon deforestation and dirty meat are very much part of how JBS has done business. Today we lift the lid on the company itself, and ask: what is the true cost of cheap meat?

More:
https://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2019-07-02/jbs-brazilian-butchers-took-over-the-world/







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VIDEO: The Butchers from Brazil: The corporate colossus devouring Australia's food business
Posted Mon 25 Apr 2022 at 5:30amMonday 25 Apr 2022 at 5:30am, updated Thu 28 Apr 2022 at 2:15am

The Butchers from Brazil: The corporate colossus devouring Australia's food business

"The control they exert is enormous." Pork producer, Victoria

JBS is the corporate food giant you've probably never heard of, but it controls a huge amount of the food you eat, owning some of the most popular brands found in our supermarket aisles, from Coles and Woolworths to Aldi. You'll also find their meat between your burger buns at McDonald's.

"If you walked down the street and said, 'Who's JBS?' No one would know. I think that's been clever in the sense they've created brands within their brand." Cattle producer and butcher

From beef and pork to lamb and even salmon, JBS's products end up on countless Australian plates. What many consumers don't know is the scandalous corporate practices behind the company.

"I think it will come as a surprise to a lot of your viewers that a Brazilian company, linked to so many scandals across so many continents…has been allowed to come into Australia and expand in the way that it has." Investigative reporter, UK.

Four Corners investigates the corporate colossus that has taken a major slice of Australia's food production sector while being exposed internationally for bribery, corruption and environmental vandalism.

"JBS is a company under investigation in many countries except Australia, where they seem to be encouraged and supported and where no powerful person seems willing to say anything against them." Author, Tasmania

More:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-04-25/the-butchers-from-brazil:-the-corporate-colossus/13853830