On October 5th 2009 four of the world’s largest meat and leather companies signed an agreement in which they are committed to refuse the purchase of cattle from recently deforested areas of the Amazon. Marfrig, Bertin, JBS-Friboi and Minerva reached this agreement in Sao Paolo, Brazil.
This decision is in response to the pressure of companies such as Clarks, Adidas and Nike who are demanding that their suppliers in Brazil guarantee that their products are not obtained from the destruction of Amazonia. Last June Greenpeace presented a report erntitled "Slaughtering the Amazon". In it the destruction of the tropical rain forest is detailed due to the expansion of cattle ranching in the region.
John Sauven, Executive director of Greenpeace, remarked: "The announcement is an important victory in the struggle to protect the Amazon. Cattle ranching and the sowing of soya are the main causes of global deforestation and the fact that these multi-billion dollar companies have committed themselves to clean up their supply chain will bring about a profound change in Amazonia".
According to Greenpeace, the cattle sector in Brazil which occupies 80% of all the deforested regions in Amazonia is the industry which emits most carbon dioxide in the country. Brazil is the fourth country on the list of global contributors to the greenhouse effect.
