By Maxwell Radwin
A new lawsuit in New York claims that one of the world’s largest beef producers has been misleading the public about its efforts to curb deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions.
New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a lawsuit against JBS USA Food Company and JBS USA Food Company Holdings for misrepresenting plans to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040. In reality, the company lacks concrete sustainability calculations and even plans to expand operations, the lawsuit claims.
“JBS Group and JBS USA have used greenwashing and misleading statements to capitalize on consumers’ increasing desire to make environmentally friendly choices,” the attorney general’s office said in a statement.
The lawsuit cites numerous instances in which the company’s claims to the public didn’t align with what was happening behind closed doors. Its website and advertisements have boasted claims about reaching net-zero carbon emissions while company executives were making plans to grow. During industry presentations, they allegedly said conveying an interest in the environment was a strategy for maintaining control of the food market.
In April 2021, the company ran a full-page ad in the New York Times with claims about cutting emissions, and made similar promises to an audience at a Climate Week event last September, the lawsuit said.
In other instances, it allegedly promised to cut emissions by 30% by 2030.
Cattle in Los Lagos, Chile. Photo by Molly Condit via We Animals Media (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0).
JBS told Mongabay it disagrees with the attorney general’s office and takes its commitment to sustainability very seriously. “JBS will continue to partner with farmers, ranchers and our food system partners around the world to help feed a growing population while using fewer resources and reducing agriculture’s environmental impact. Our belief that American agriculture can help sustainably feed the world is undeterred.”
The company allegedly made false claims in its advertising even after receiving a warning from the BBB National Programs’ National Advertising Division about a lack of evidence for reaching net-zero emissions.
The New York attorney general said JBS Group’s greenhouse gas emissions calculations don’t include deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest, making its environmental goals “not feasible given the current scope of [its] business operations.”
The JBS Group reported total global greenhouse gas emissions of over 71 million tons in 2021, the attorney general noted, more than some countries’ total annual emissions. For example, Bolivia emitted 58.20 million tons in 2021 while Ireland emitted 61 million tons.
“Consumers want to know that the companies they do business with are doing their part to curb their greenhouse gas emissions,” said New York State Representative Deborah Glick, Chair of the Committee on Environmental Conservation, in a statement. “Companies that mislead the public into believing that they are being responsible environmental stewards when they are not must be held accountable for their deception.”
Deceptive business practices and false advertising violate two sections of the state’s general business law and executive law, the attorney general said.
James’ office wants the companies to stop their net-zero advertising campaign and conduct a third-party audit of their compliance with New York’s consumer protection statutes. It also wants the company to disgorge of all ill-gotten gains earned while misleading the public.
It also wants the company to pay a $5,000 penalty per violation. The number of violations will be determined at trial, the attorney general’s office said.
“We need to stop the rise of greenwashing and increase accountability for corporations like JBS who mislead consumers with false climate and sustainability claims,” said Todd Paglia, Executive Director at Stand.earth, an environmental group, in a statement. “This lawsuit should put others on notice as well, including the banks that continue to fund JBS and other extractive industries like oil and gas in the Amazon. If you deceive consumers about your environmental impact, you will be challenged.”
Banner image: Cattle grazing in South America. Photo by Christiane Pelda via Wikimedia. (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0).
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This article was originally published on Mongabay
