Revealing Brazil's rotten agribusinesses

Following reports that Brazil's current deforestation rate—1 million hectares—is the highest in a decade, a peer-reviewed study published in Science today finds that 18-22%, and possibly more, of Brazil's annual exports to the European Union are potentially contaminated with illegal deforestation, while identifying for the first time the specific producers of soy in Brazil responsible for "poisoning the barrel." Unveiling these "bad apples" among soy and beef producers, but also revealing that a vast majority—some 80% of the country's farmers—abide by the Forest Code law, the study suggests deforestation-free Brazilian agricultural production is within reach, if leaders act.

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