Brazil's Meat Giants in Hot Water Over Amazon Deforestation

In Brazil, the environment agency Ibama is cracking down on meatpacking companies, including JBS SA, for allegedly buying cattle from farms that have illegally cleared parts of the Amazon rainforest. Ibama has started looking into 12 meatpacking plants, saying they might have been involved in a scheme to hide the illegal origins of the cattle they bought. Ibama has already fined six of these companies a total of 4 million reais for directly buying cattle from areas that have been blocked due to illegal deforestation. The agency also seized more than 7, 000 head of cattle from these blocked farms. In total, Ibama has issued fines adding up to 49 million reais, though they didn't specify who the fines were for. JBS SA, one of the companies involved, has not yet responded to the allegations. Other companies, like Frigol and Mercurio, have defended themselves, saying they follow strict rules and monitor the origins of their cattle. Frigol claims Ibama made a mistake, while Mercurio says they use third-party firms to ensure they don't buy from farms with environmental or labor issues. This situation highlights the ongoing struggle to protect the Amazon rainforest from illegal deforestation and the companies that might be profiting from it. It's a reminder that even big companies need to be held accountable for their actions and the impact they have on the environment.