Cargill has said it will “eliminate” deforestation and land conversion from its soy, corn, wheat, and cotton supply chains in Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay by 2025.
The announcement builds on the company’s existing commitment to producing entirely deforestation-free commodities and conversion-free soy across South America by 2030.
Chief sustainability officer Pilar Cruz said the company is “actively shaping” a future where ecosystems will be “protected for generations to come”.
“As Cargill works to eliminate deforestation in our supply chains around the world, we are prioritising collective action and collaborative partnerships with farmers, governments, non-governmental organisations, and other critical stakeholders to find balanced solutions for economic development and environmental conservation,” he added.
Cargill will be collaborating with the World Resources Institute’s (WRI) geospatial knowledge alongside improved traceability to strengthen its monitoring, reporting and verification of natural ecosystems and farm areas.
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Last month, Mighty Earth found that the Cargill had worked to block a proposed Cop27 deal to end deforestation linked to soy production.
It found that senior officers at the food manufacturing giant blocked the deal in a series of year-long talks in the lead up to the conference and put pressure on other companies that had promised to end deforestation.
While Mighty Earth CEO Glenn Hurowitz said Cargill’s announcement is “important”, he argues it’s still an “incomplete step”, pointing out that other South American counties – such as Bolivia, Paraguay and Colombia – also need protection.
“Cargill’s commitment effectively gives the green light for deforestation for a further 18 months, because it doesn’t go into effect until 2025 and lacks any mention of a cut-off date – the date non-compliant supply is not permissible,” Hurowitz added.
Mighty Earth also said that, given Cargill’s track record, it will continue to closely monitor cases of deforestation in the company’s supply chains.
