American Meat Trader PMI Foods Major Contributor to Amazon Deforestation Amid Surge in Chinese Demand for Beef

PMI Foods linked to $1.7 billion Brazilian beef trade to China over last decade, contributing to illegal deforestation, sourced mainly from JBS, a meat processing giant involved in environmental violations.

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.