Overview

• Salt Lake City-based Parker-Migliorini International (PMI Foods) has contributed to the deforestation of the Amazon through its role as a major buyer and shipper of Brazilian beef, much of it to China.
• As a meat trading company, PMI purchases meat from other companies, such as meat processing giant JBS S.A., which have been cited for buying cattle raised on deforested land.
• PMI shipped more than $1.7 billion of Brazilian beef over the last decade, with over 95% of it going to China, thus contributing to a sixfold surge in Chinese beef imports over this period.
• PMI has not signed industry agreements to fight deforestation but stated last month that they're aiming to increase environmental sustainability, including partnering with environmental groups and starting a project to plant a million trees in the Amazon.
• PMI's actions highlight the role that increasing global trade in commodities like beef can play in fueling deforestation, a major environmental concern.