{"history":[],"article":{"id":"2de609c6-223a-40c8-a928-000295a79cb3","title":"JBS S.A.","slug":"jbs-s-a","content":":::summary\n![JBS S.A.](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/09/Logotipo///da///JBS///%282023%29.png)\n**Name:** JBS S.A. \n**Logo Size:** 200px \n**Logo Caption:** Logo used since 2023 \n**Trade Name:** JBS \n**Type:** [Sociedade Anônima](https://bliptext.com/articles/s-a-corporation) \n**Traded As:** [Ibovespa Component](https://bliptext.com/articles/ibovespa) \n**Area Served:** Worldwide \n**Key People:** Gilberto Tomazoni ([CEO](https://bliptext.com/articles/ceo)) Jeremiah O‘Callaghan ([Chairman](https://bliptext.com/articles/chairman)) \n**Industry:** [Food processing](https://bliptext.com/articles/food-processing-industry) \n**Products:** Foods and beverages \n**Revenue:** [US$](https://bliptext.com/articles/us) 72.9 billion (2023) \n**Operating Income:** US$ 8.5 billion (2021) \n**Net Income:** US$ (131) million (2023) \n**Assets:** US$ 42.6 billion (2023) \n**Equity:** US$ 9.7 billion (2023) \n**Num Employees:** +272,565 (2021) \n**Parent:** [J&F Investimentos](https://bliptext.com/articles/j-f-investimentos) \n**Subsid:** [JBS USA](https://bliptext.com/articles/jbs-usa) · [Seara](https://bliptext.com/articles/seara-alimentos) · [JBS Foods International](https://bliptext.com/articles/jbs-foods-international) · [BioTech Foods](https://bliptext.com/articles/biotech-foods) \n**Foundation:** 1953 \n**Founder:** José Batista Sobrinho \n**Location City:** [São Paulo](https://bliptext.com/articles/s-o-paulo) \n**Location Country:** [Brazil](https://bliptext.com/articles/brazil) \n**Homepage:** jbs.com.br/en \n:::\n\n# \n**JBS S.A.** is a Brazilian [multinational](https://bliptext.com/articles/multinational-corporation) company that is the largest [meat processing](https://bliptext.com/articles/meat-packing-industry) enterprise in the world, producing factory processed [beef](https://bliptext.com/articles/beef), [chicken](https://bliptext.com/articles/chicken), [salmon](https://bliptext.com/articles/salmon), [sheep](https://bliptext.com/articles/sheep), [pork](https://bliptext.com/articles/pork), and also selling by-products from the processing of these meats.\nIt is headquartered in [São Paulo](https://bliptext.com/articles/s-o-paulo).\nIt was founded in 1953 in [Anápolis](https://bliptext.com/articles/an-polis), [Goiás](https://bliptext.com/articles/goi-s).\nAs of 2023, the company had about 500 industrial plants and commercial representations in 24 countries, and its products reach consumers in 180 countries.\n[J&F Investimentos](https://bliptext.com/articles/j-f-investimentos) is a 42% indirect shareholder in JBS S.A., which is listed on American stock markets as **JBSAY**.\nJ&F Investimentos is wholly owned by [Joesley Batista](https://bliptext.com/articles/joesley-batista) and [Wesley Batista](https://bliptext.com/articles/wesley-batista).\nThe company has been regularly criticized on various grounds, including allegations of labor law violations and environmental factors such as for sourcing meat from farms that purportedly contribute to the [destruction of the Amazon rainforest](https://bliptext.com/articles/deforestation-of-the-amazon-rainforest).\n# [Former logo used until 2023. | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/eb/JBS///S.A.///%28logo%29.svg]\n\n# History\n\n## 1953–2000: Formation in Brazil\nJBS was initially established as a slaughtering business in 1953 by José Batista Sobrinho, a rancher from [Anápolis](https://bliptext.com/articles/an-polis).\nThe company's name comes from the founder's initials.\nSobrinho's business began to expand when the establishment of Brazil's capital, Brasilia, brought a new market within reach of his ranch.\nOver the late 1960s Sobrinho expanded into owning slaughterhouses; then, in the 1980s, the company began expanding within Brazil and purchasing other meat processing companies.\nIn subsequent years, the company has grown to become the world's largest company in the beef sector with the acquisition of several stores and food companies in [Brazil](https://bliptext.com/articles/brazil) and around the world.\nJBS became a publicly held company in 2007, and in the same year received a major investment from [BNDES](https://bliptext.com/articles/brazilian-development-bank) (Brazilian Development Bank).\n\n## 2007–2010: US acquisitions\nIn 2007, JBS went through with a US$225m acquisition of U.S. firm [Swift & Company](https://bliptext.com/articles/swift-company), which was the third largest U.S. beef and pork processor, renamed as JBS USA.\nIt leads the world in [slaughter](https://bliptext.com/articles/animal-slaughter) capacity, at 51.4 thousand head per day, and continues to focus on production operations, processing, and export plants, nationally and internationally.\nWith the new acquisition, JBS entered the pork market, to end the year as the third largest producer and processor of this type of meat in the United States.\nThe acquisition expanded the company's portfolio to include rights to the worldwide use of the Swift brand.\nThe next year, JBS acquired [Smithfield Foods](https://bliptext.com/articles/smithfield-foods)' beef business.\nIt was renamed JBS Packerland.\nOn 31 August 2010 it was announced that the company had acquired 64% of [Pilgrim's Pride](https://bliptext.com/articles/pilgrim-s-pride) for a bid of US$800 million, establishing JBS's position in the chicken production industry.\n\n## 2010: South American operations\nOn September 16, 2009, JBS announced that it had acquired the food operation of [Grupo Bertin](https://bliptext.com/articles/grupo-bertin), one of three Brazilian market leaders, consolidating its position as the largest beef producer in the world.\nThe banks [JP Morgan Chase](https://bliptext.com/articles/jp-morgan-chase) and [Santander Brasil](https://bliptext.com/articles/banco-santander-brasil) assisted in the transaction.\nIn August 2010, it was reported that JBS was considering to sell some of the eight slaughterhouses it owned in Argentina because of \"scarce livestock and export restrictions\".\nBetween 2007 and 2010, JBS received around $2.5 billion in investments from BNDES.\n\n## 2011-2016: Expansion, CanaMex acquisitions\nAs of 2011, JBS had been trying to bid to gain control of [Sara Lee Corporation](https://bliptext.com/articles/sara-lee-corporation)'s meat business.\nJBS had shown interest in the meats business but struggled to push forward with a bid for the entire company.\nOn 9 January 2013, [JBS USA](https://bliptext.com/articles/jbs-usa) acquired the Canadian operations of [XL Foods](https://bliptext.com/articles/xl-foods), chiefly the XL Lakeside beef processing plant in [Brooks, Alberta](https://bliptext.com/articles/brooks-alberta) which had at the time the capacity to process 4,000 head of cattle per day.\nOn May 27, 2014, [Pilgrim's Pride](https://bliptext.com/articles/pilgrim-s-pride) Corporation, 75% owned by JBS S.A., made an unsolicited $5.6 billion bid for [Hillshire Brands](https://bliptext.com/articles/hillshire-brands) Co. (HSH).\nOn July 28, 2014, [Tyson Foods, Inc.](https://bliptext.com/articles/tyson-foods-inc) announced its intention to sell Tyson de México and Tyson do Brasil, its Mexican and Brazilian poultry subsidiaries, to JBS S.A. for $575 million in cash by the end of 2014, pending regulatory approval.\nIn 2015, JBS bought the US pork business of [Cargill Inc.](https://bliptext.com/articles/cargill-inc) for $1.45 billion.\nAlso in 2015, JBS S.A. created a board of compliance directors in Brazil.\n\n## 2016: IPO of US unit\nIn December 2016, JBS announced a re-organization plan, which involved an [initial public offering](https://bliptext.com/articles/initial-public-offering) (IPO) in the United States for its international operations, through [JBS Foods International](https://bliptext.com/articles/jbs-foods-international).\nAt the time, it had units on five continents.\n\n## 2017: Brazilian food market drop\nAccording to industry estimates, as of 2017, JBS USA was the second-largest processor of beef and pork in the United States, while JBS-owned Pilgrim's was the second-largest poultry company.\nBy February 2017, JBS had been accused of wrongdoing in a wider investigation into compliance issues in Brazil, although it planned to increase its board of compliance directors from three people to eight.\nAt the time, the company's controlling shareholder [J&F Investimentos](https://bliptext.com/articles/j-f-investimentos) SA was being investigated \"in relation to fraud at state-run companies’ employee pension funds\".\nThe investigation looked into whether JBS possibly benefited from the scheme, including JBS chairman [Joesley Batista](https://bliptext.com/articles/joesley-batista), who denied wrongdoing.\nBy March 2017, JBS SA remained the world's largest supplier of animal protein, after a series of acquisitions in part funded by loans from banks controlled by the Brazilian government.\nGlobal operations included brands Seara, Swift, and [Moy Park](https://bliptext.com/articles/moy-park).\nIn March 2017, JBS was accused by Brazil's environmental regulator of buying cattle raised on illegally deforested Amazon land, with JBS denying wrongdoing.\nOn March 17, 2017, it was announced that Brazil was investigating its meat-packing industry for \"allegedly bribing food-sanitation inspectors\", with JBS SA among the dozens of firms targeted, in particular a single employee.\nJBS shares dropped 10 percent with the announcement.\nJBS denied any wrongdoing and said it had taken “applicable measures” against the one employee included in the investigation, due to his alleged relationships with government inspectors.\nThe announcement of the police allegations led to various nations considering banning Brazilian beef imports.\nChina, 20 other countries, and the European Union subsequently issued temporary bans on Brazilian meat shipments, or increased scrutiny.\nOn March 23, 2017, JBS SA said it had slashed beef production, halting beef production in 33 of its 36 plants for three days, with a plan to cut production by 35% of capacity at all its units.\nJBS stated the \"measures aim at adjusting production until there is a decision about the embargoes imposed by importers.\"\nThe company also spent more on advertising.\nAfter initial trade disruptions, Brazilian meat companies regained access to most international markets.\n\n## 2017: BNDES and bribery investigations\nOn May 12, 2017, authorities announced that they were investigating whether JBS SA had received illegal financing advantages from state-owned bank [BNDES](https://bliptext.com/articles/bndes).\nDubbed \"[Operation Bullish](https://bliptext.com/articles/operation-bullish)\", police stated that these had led to a loss of around $385 million in public funds.\nJBS said the financing was lawful, and BNDES said it was cooperating with authorities.\nExecutives including CEO [Wesley Batista](https://bliptext.com/articles/wesley-batista) and chairman [Joesley Batista](https://bliptext.com/articles/joesley-batista) were questioned by federal police.\nThe court forbade the Batistas from restructuring the business during the investigation.\nOn May 16, 2017, JBS said it might delay its planned IPO due to legal troubles.\nThe CEO made it clear, however, that the IPO was not canceled.\nOn May 17, [O Globo](https://bliptext.com/articles/o-globo) reported that it had obtained a recording of Michel Temer encouraging JBS chairman Joesley Batista to \"bribe a jailed former legislator to buy the lawmaker’s silence.\"\nThe news resulted in protests and calls for Temer's resignation, and the Brazilian stock market dropped.\nTemer denied wrongdoing.\nOn May 17, 2017 O Globo reported that Joesley Batista, through J&F Investimentos, allegedly paid bribes to three presidents.\nDocumentation of the payments was released by the Supreme Court on May 19.\nOn May 19, 2017, Joesley Batista admitted to paying bribes to [Michel Temer](https://bliptext.com/articles/michel-temer), [Dilma Rousseff](https://bliptext.com/articles/dilma-rousseff) and [Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva](https://bliptext.com/articles/luiz-in-cio-lula-da-silva), over the previous 14 years.\nJoesley Batista told prosecutors J&F Investimentos had paid a total of $123 million in bribes to Brazilian politicians in recent years.\nAll three presidents denied accepting bribes.\nTemer alleged Batista had doctored evidence, including a recording of Temer talking to Batista, to make money from the scandal through [insider trading](https://bliptext.com/articles/insider-trading).\nBatista denied illegal share purchases.\nAs of May 22, the [Comissão de Valores Mobiliários](https://bliptext.com/articles/comiss-o-de-valores-mobili-rios) (CVM) was demanding $3.4 billion from J&F Investimentos as part of a promised plea deal, according to the press.\nThe former head of CVM referred to testimony that asserted J&F Investimentos had bribed 1,829 politicians.\nIn May 2017 JBS retained law firm [Baker McKenzie](https://bliptext.com/articles/baker-mckenzie) to negotiate possible criminal charges with the [United States Department of Justice](https://bliptext.com/articles/united-states-department-of-justice) under the [Foreign Corrupt Practices Act](https://bliptext.com/articles/foreign-corrupt-practices-act).\nReports May 31, 2017, said J&F Investimentos had agreed to pay US$3.2 billion in fines, for leniency from the Brazilian government \"over 25 years after admitting to giving roughly $150 million—mostly in bribes—to Brazilian politicians.\"\nJBS shares afterwards rose 9% on São Paulo's [stock exchange](https://bliptext.com/articles/stock-exchange).\nIn exchange for their cooperation, the chairman and his older brother avoided jail time.\nAll three former presidents continued to deny accepting bribes from Joesley Batista.\n\n## 2017: Recruitment of safety director, Mexican divestment\nIn early August 2017, JBS hired Alfred Almanza as its global head of food safety.\nAlmanza had previously been the head of food safety at the [U.S. Department of Agriculture](https://bliptext.com/articles/u-s-department-of-agriculture).\nOn August 3, 2017, it was reported that JBS was selling its stake in its Mexican unit of Vigor Alimentos to [Grupo Lala](https://bliptext.com/articles/grupo-lala).\n\n## 2018: United States Department of Agriculture bailout\nJBS, a Brazilian-owned company, received $22.3 million from the USDA farm bailout package of 2018.\n\n## COVID-19 pandemic\nAt least 277 JBS USA workers at a plant in [Greeley, Colorado](https://bliptext.com/articles/greeley-colorado), were presumed to be infected with [coronavirus disease 2019](https://bliptext.com/articles/coronavirus-disease-2019) in April 2020, leading to the closure of this large meat processing operation with over 3,000 employees; the plant reopened after a 9-day closure.\nThe [Weld County, Colorado](https://bliptext.com/articles/weld-county-colorado) Department of Public Health, where Greeley is located, reported that employees had said that the JBS plant had a \"work while sick\" culture.\nThe company denied any such pressure on workers.\nBy April 15, 102 workers had tested positive for the coronavirus, and four had died.\nOutbreaks of COVID-19 have also been found in five other JBS beef processing plants, in [Souderton, Pennsylvania](https://bliptext.com/articles/souderton-pennsylvania); [Plainwell, Michigan](https://bliptext.com/articles/plainwell-michigan); [Green Bay, Wisconsin](https://bliptext.com/articles/green-bay-wisconsin); [Cactus, Texas](https://bliptext.com/articles/cactus-texas); and [Grand Island, Nebraska](https://bliptext.com/articles/grand-island-nebraska).\nWith 600 workers confirmed and probable cases in the JBS Foods plant in [Brooks, Alberta](https://bliptext.com/articles/brooks-alberta), 7% of the population tested positive for COVID-19.\nAs of May 9, 510 workers had recovered, but one worker died.\nOn 22 April it came to light that even though the plant had added a shift premium of $4 an hour, many employees skipped their shifts forcing the company to reduce their schedule to one shift.\nAs of April 21, the company claimed that there had been no walk-offs.\n\n## Cyberattack\nJBS was [targeted by a cyberattack](https://bliptext.com/articles/jbs-s-a-cyberattack) in late May 2021, which forced the company to temporarily shut down slaughterhouses in Australia, Canada and the United States.\nThe company stood down 7,000 workers across Australian operations and up to 3,000 workers in Canada and the United States.\nIn June 2021, JBS paid $11 million in ransom, using [Bitcoin](https://bliptext.com/articles/bitcoin), to put an end to the cyberattack.\nChief executive Andre Nogueira said: \"This was a very difficult decision to make for our company and for me personally\".\n\n## Cultured meat\nIn 2021, JBS invested US$100 million in [cultured meat](https://bliptext.com/articles/cultured-meat) through [BioTech Foods](https://bliptext.com/articles/biotech-foods), with plans to release to the market by 2024.\n\n# Segments\nJBS operates in the segments of [beef](https://bliptext.com/articles/beef), [pork](https://bliptext.com/articles/pork), [poultry](https://bliptext.com/articles/poultry), fish, and sheep, as well as leather, [collagen](https://bliptext.com/articles/collagen), metal packaging, [biodiesel](https://bliptext.com/articles/biodiesel), and [transportation](https://bliptext.com/articles/transportation).\n\n## Animal and Plant Protein\n\n## Dairy\n\n## Cosmetics and Cleaning\n\n## Others\n\n# Plants and subsidiaries\nJBS's production structure is embedded in consumer markets worldwide, with plants installed in the world's four leading beef producing nations ([Brazil](https://bliptext.com/articles/brazil), [Argentina](https://bliptext.com/articles/argentina), United States, and Australia), serving 110 countries through exports.\n\n# Controversies\n\n## Donations to Electoral Campaigns\nIt is one of the main donors of resources for electoral campaigns in Brazil.\n\n## Roberto Carlos Lawsuit\nIn November 2014, singer Roberto Carlos, who was a spokesperson for one of the group's brands, Friboi, filed a lawsuit against the company due to a contract termination, JBS terminated the contract with the singer due to low commercial performance, as the company expected a much higher commercial return due to Carlos' image, but the strategy did not work out.\nThe singer is seeking a compensation of R$7.2 million in court, but JBS claims to only be obligated to pay R$3.2 million, The advertising contract between JBS and Carlos was initiated in February 2014 and has a total value of about R$45 million, The case still needs to be judged in the 38th Civil Court of São Paulo.\n\n## Labor Lawsuits\nIn June 2014, JBS was sentenced in the second instance by the Regional Labor Court of the 23rd Region, in Mato Grosso, in two different cases opened by the Ministry of Labor (MPT) based on systematic violations of [labor laws](https://bliptext.com/articles/labor-laws).\nOne of the sentences refers to the contamination of the meat served to employees with [larvae](https://bliptext.com/articles/larvae).\nThe other is due to the company's negligence regarding the [health of its workers](https://bliptext.com/articles/occupational-health) by failing to take basic monitoring and safety measures regarding the refrigeration reservoir using [ammonia](https://bliptext.com/articles/ammonia) gas.\nIn this case, Judge Juliano Girardello highlights that \"inspectors detected a strong smell of this chemical product in the engine room.\"\n\n## Political Participation\nJBS was one of the largest donors of resources to the electoral campaign of the general elections in Brazil in 2014, with a total amount of R$391.8 million declared to the Superior Electoral Court.\nThe company donated resources to the campaigns of at least 16 political parties.\nAmong the politicians who received these resources were the former president [Dilma Rousseff](https://bliptext.com/articles/dilma-rousseff), 12 senators, 18 governors, and 190 federal deputies.\n\n## Purchase of U.S. Dollars\nOn May 17, 2017, JBS purchased a large quantity of U.S. dollars in the market a few hours before the disclosure of the scandal that caused the currency to skyrocket and led the [BM&FBOVESPA](https://bliptext.com/articles/bm-fbovespa) to suspend trading after a 10% drop.\nThe information about the company's operation had a negative impact on the financial market and society.\nIn the operation, JBS made a profit of R$170 million.\nThe [Securities and Exchange Commission (CVM)](https://bliptext.com/articles/securities-and-exchange-commission-brazil) will investigate the case.\nThe profit from the operation was more than enough for JBS to pay the multimillion-dollar fine to escape the Greenfield and Lava Jato Operations, in which it is being investigated.\n\n## Financial Aid from the United States\nIn 2019, the [Trump administration](https://bliptext.com/articles/first-presidency-of-donald-trump) allocated US$62.4 million to subsidiary [JBS USA](https://bliptext.com/articles/jbs-usa) from a fund to intended help U.S. farmers affected by the [trade war](https://bliptext.com/articles/trade-war) with China.\nThe [U.S. Department of Agriculture](https://bliptext.com/articles/u-s-department-of-agriculture) announced a contract in the same year to purchase US$22.3 million worth of pork from the company.\nSecretary of Agriculture [Sonny Perdue](https://bliptext.com/articles/sonny-perdue) and Attorney General [Jeff Sessions](https://bliptext.com/articles/jeff-sessions) requested the [U.S. Department of Justice](https://bliptext.com/articles/u-s-department-of-justice) to investigate a possible case of corruption.\nThere were also indications that JBS benefited from trade tensions with increased sales in China.\nJBS stated that despite being a foreign company, it supports American farmers by creating job opportunities.\nIn May 2019, Representative [Rosa DeLauro](https://bliptext.com/articles/rosa-delauro) from Connecticut claimed that President Donald Trump was unaware of the situation.\n\n# Corruption allegations\n\n## Operation Weak Meat\nOn March 17, 2017, some JBS company meatpacking plants were targeted for investigation during [Operation Weak Meat](https://bliptext.com/articles/operation-weak-meat) conducted by the Federal Police (PF).\nAt the time, the PF arrested 36 individuals suspected of involvement in a fraud scheme in the production and commercialization of meat, which involved the corruption of inspectors from the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Supply, as well as producers.\nThe investigation uncovered evidence of product adulteration and the sale of expired and spoiled meat.\nA total of 21 factories were investigated.\nAs a result of the operation, JBS suffered a loss of 15.35% in its market value, which at the time was R$32.6 billion, and it ended up being valued at R$27.6 billion, according to the financial information company Economatica.\nDespite this, the Brazilian meat market continued to thrive.\n\n## Operation Bullish\nOn May 12, 2017, the Federal Police (PF) launched Operation Bullish, which investigated fraud in the loans granted by the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES) through its subsidiary BNDESPAR to JBS.\nThe loans were allegedly granted after the hiring of a consulting company linked to former congressman Antonio Palocci.\nThe targets of the warrants included Luciano Coutinho, who chaired the development bank from 2007 to 2016, and the Batista brothers, Joesley and Wesley, who are in charge of the group's companies.\nThe loans, amounting to R$8.1 billion, were used for the acquisition of other companies in the meatpacking industry.\nThe PF found evidence that these operations were executed without the requirement of guarantees and with the improper waiver of contractual premiums, resulting in a loss of approximately R$1.2 billion to public coffers.\nOn May 17, 2017, the technical area of the Federal Court of Auditors (TCU) calculated that BNDES had incurred losses of R$711.3 million in stock and debenture purchases from the JBS group.\nThe auditors stated that there had been a \"gratuitous transfer of public money\" to the company.\nThis material was one of the elements that led to Operation Bullish.\nTCU technicians assessed that BNDES failed to collect the resources it was entitled to, did not supervise the use of the invested money, and did not consider the social impact of the operations carried out with the group.\n\n## Operation Achilles Tendon\nOn June 9, 2017, the Federal Police carried out a search and seizure operation at the headquarters of JBS in São Paulo.\nThe operation, conducted in conjunction with the Securities and Exchange Commission (CVM), investigated whether JBS and its parent company engaged in insider trading of dollars in the days leading up to the plea bargain of Joesley and Wesley Batista.\nThe operation also investigated the company's activities in the futures market and the dealings of its controlling shareholder FB Participações SA with the company's shares.\nThree search warrants and four coercive measures were executed.\n\n## Operation Car Wash\nJBS and its owners are involved in Brazil's largest political scandal, which has implicated a sitting President of the Republic as well as a Senator.\nAlthough the financial amounts involved are not as substantial as those in the country's largest [corruption](https://bliptext.com/articles/corruption) scandal in recent history, the Car Wash operation, the embezzlement carried out by the Workers' Party and its allies in [Petrobras](https://bliptext.com/articles/petrobras), and the JBS scandal are comparable events.\nThis is due to [Joesley Batista](https://bliptext.com/articles/joesley-batista)'s plea bargain, which directly implicated President [Michel Temer](https://bliptext.com/articles/michel-temer), including highly compromising audio and video recordings.\nIn addition to President Temer, Senator [Aécio Neves](https://bliptext.com/articles/a-cio-neves), who was the target of Operation Patmos, was also mentioned and recorded by the whistleblower.\nDue to the plea bargain, the [Central Bank of Norway](https://bliptext.com/articles/central-bank-of-norway) withdrew JBS from its Government Pension Fund investments.\nThe bank held US$143.4 million in JBS shares.\nIn 2019, [Edson Fachin](https://bliptext.com/articles/edson-fachin) requested the lifting of the Batista brothers' criminal immunity, which led to a 7% drop in JBS shares, resulting in a loss of R$3 billion.\nThe request was made for crimes committed after the plea bargain.\nThe brothers failed to inform the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office about the illicit conduct of former prosecutor Marcelo Miller, who was accused by the Federal Police of receiving R$1.8 million from J&F Investimentos to act as a double agent during the plea bargain negotiations.\nJoesley and Ricardo Saud took four months to disclose the payment of R$500,000 to Ciro Nogueira during Dilma Rousseff's impeachment.\nThe brothers also profited from the sale of JBS shares through insider trading contracts with the dollar.\nAnother factor contributing to the stock market decline was the police summons issued against Dilma Rousseff, Renan Calheiros, Eduardo Braga, and Vital do Rêgo regarding illicit donations of R$40 million from JBS to politicians in the 2014 presidential elections.\n\n## Tax Havens\nThe precise number of JBS's foreign subsidiaries is unknown.\nThe company reported having 32 subsidiaries to the [Securities and Exchange Commission](https://bliptext.com/articles/securities-and-exchange-commission) (CVM), but it told ((o))eco that the number is over 100.\nIn a document submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the company stated that it had 253 controlled subsidiaries in 30 countries.\nMany of the officially declared subsidiaries have conflicting or missing data.\nIn 2016, JBS attempted to relocate its headquarters to Ireland with listings on the [New York Stock Exchange](https://bliptext.com/articles/new-york-stock-exchange).\nThe decision was based on a study by [PwC](https://bliptext.com/articles/pwc).\nThe move was vetoed by [BNDES](https://bliptext.com/articles/bndes), which was viewed negatively by foreign shareholders.\nWesley Batista accepted the decision and promised to seek an alternative.\nIn 2019, JBS considered relocating its headquarters to Luxembourg or the Netherlands as part of its initial public offering process.\nThe plan was called Project Hydra and would involve the relocation of JBS S/A, JBS Global, and Seara.\nIn 2020, documents prepared by [Deloitte](https://bliptext.com/articles/deloitte) revealed a plan to move to the two countries called \"Crystal,\" aiming to mitigate tax risks and exposure.\nJBS stated that it is a multinational company, and the opening and closing of offices are routine.\nIn 2021, a survey conducted by ((o))eco showed that JBS, [Marfrig](https://bliptext.com/articles/marfrig), and Minerva control at least 14 companies in [tax havens](https://bliptext.com/articles/tax-haven), in addition to other companies located in countries that are not [tax havens](https://bliptext.com/articles/tax-haven) but offer facilities, such as Austria.\n\n# JBS Parliamentary Inquiry Commission\nOn September 5, 2017, the [National Congress](https://bliptext.com/articles/national-congress-of-brazil) created the [JBS Parliamentary Inquiry Commission](https://bliptext.com/articles/jbs-parliamentary-inquiry-commission), a [Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry](https://bliptext.com/articles/parliamentary-commission-of-inquiry) (CPI), which aims to investigate the alleged irregularities committed by the [J&F group](https://bliptext.com/articles/j-f-investimentos), which controls JBS, in relation to loans from the [Brazilian Development Bank](https://bliptext.com/articles/brazilian-development-bank) (BNDES) between 2007 and 2016, and the [collaboration](https://bliptext.com/articles/jbs-plea-bargain-in-operation-car-wash) agreement of the group with the [Federal Public Ministry](https://bliptext.com/articles/federal-public-ministry).\nThe CPI has been criticized by lawmakers and the [press](https://bliptext.com/articles/brazilian-press) for being used, in the words of [João Gualberto](https://bliptext.com/articles/jo-o-gualberto) and [Otto Alencar](https://bliptext.com/articles/otto-alencar), to [press](https://bliptext.com/articles/brazilian-press)ure the [Federal Public Ministry](https://bliptext.com/articles/federal-public-ministry), and to change the rules of [plea bargaining](https://bliptext.com/articles/plea-bargain).\nSenator [Randolfe Rodrigues](https://bliptext.com/articles/randolfe-rodrigues), a critic of the CPI, filed a [writ of mandamus](https://bliptext.com/articles/writ-of-mandamus) with the [Supreme Federal Court](https://bliptext.com/articles/supreme-federal-court) requesting the suspension of its proceedings.\nAccording to Randolfe, the CPI aims to \"corner\" the independence of the [Judiciary](https://bliptext.com/articles/judiciary) and the Federal Public Ministry.\n\n# Animal Welfare\nOn July 17, 2018, the NGO [Mercy For Animals](https://bliptext.com/articles/mercy-for-animals) released an investigation at [Tosh Farms](https://bliptext.com/articles/tosh-farms), a JBS supplier in the United States.\nThe footage showed terrible [animal suffering](https://bliptext.com/articles/animal-suffering), including:\nAfter the release of the footage, JBS USA, the American arm of JBS, stated that it had suspended its contract with Tosh Farms based in [Tennessee](https://bliptext.com/articles/tennessee), United States.\nThe supplier provided the JBS USA facility in [Kentucky](https://bliptext.com/articles/kentucky).\nIn Brazil, the company committed to eliminating gestation crates for sows in its operations by 2025.\nHowever, the use of such crates has not yet been prohibited by the company in its supply chains in other countries.\nGestation crates are considered an extremely harmful practice for animals, and there are regulations banning their use in Canada, [New Zealand](https://bliptext.com/articles/new-zealand), Australia, the [European Union](https://bliptext.com/articles/european-union), and ten U.S. states.\n\n# Diseases\nMeatpacking plants are prone to the emergence of [new diseases](https://bliptext.com/articles/zoonosis) due to the forced proximity between humans and animals.\nAnother factor is [deforestation](https://bliptext.com/articles/deforestation).\nAccording to the [USAID](https://bliptext.com/articles/united-states-agency-for-international-development), 31% of diseases transmitted from animals to humans are caused by the [degradation of their natural habitats](https://bliptext.com/articles/habitat-degradation).\nIn Brazil, the [Amazon Rainforest](https://bliptext.com/articles/amazon-rainforest) alone has identified 160 species of bats containing 3,204 different types of [coronaviruses](https://bliptext.com/articles/coronavirus).\n\n## COVID-19 Cases\nDuring the [COVID-19 pandemic](https://bliptext.com/articles/covid-19-pandemic), under pressure from the [Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Supply](https://bliptext.com/articles/ministry-of-agriculture-livestock-and-supply), the meatpacking plants were considered essential and did not halt their operations.\nIn 2020, there was an outbreak of cases in meatpacking plants throughout the country.\nJBS had cases of [COVID-19](https://bliptext.com/articles/covid-19) in a meatpacking plant in [Passo Fundo](https://bliptext.com/articles/passo-fundo).\nThe cases triggered an investigation by the Ministério Público do Trabalho.\nIn the [United States](https://bliptext.com/articles/united-states), JBS along with other companies such as [Tyson Foods](https://bliptext.com/articles/tyson-foods), [Cargill](https://bliptext.com/articles/cargill), [Smithfield Foods](https://bliptext.com/articles/smithfield-foods), and [National Beef](https://bliptext.com/articles/national-beef-packing-company) had 59,000 cases and 269 deaths between March 2020 and February 2021.\nThis led the Donald Trump administration to invoke the [Defense Production Act](https://bliptext.com/articles/defense-production-act) (DPA), a law created to ensure supply during the [Korean War](https://bliptext.com/articles/korean-war), to keep the meatpacking plants operating.\n\n# Environmental allegations\nDespite receiving sustainability awards, and announcing its commitment to reduce carbon emissions by 2040, critics claim JBS has been increasing its emissions.\nIn 2022 one study estimated the company's carbon footprint was larger than that of [Italy](https://bliptext.com/articles/italy).\nCritics also claim the company's environmental policies are a form of [greenwashing](https://bliptext.com/articles/greenwashing).\nA study conducted in 2021 by the Institute of Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) and GRAIN found that JBS is the largest emitter of greenhouse gases among meat and [dairy](https://bliptext.com/articles/dairy) companies by a significant amount, which is linked to the company's economic growth that increases emissions related to meat production and causes deforestation and destruction of watersheds, mainly in Brazil.\nThe Corporate Climate Responsibility Monitor by the New Climate Institute and Carbon Market Watch in 2022 rates JBS programs with very low transparency and integrity.\nJBS released 421.6 million metric tonnes of carbon in 2021, which is a larger output than all of Italy.\nIn a five-year period, JBS's emissions increased by 50%.\nIn December 2022, Brazilian federal prosecutors released a report showing that \"Nearly 17% of the cattle bought by JBS SA in Brazil's Para state in the Amazon rainforest allegedly came from ranches with \"irregularities\" such as illegal [deforestation](https://bliptext.com/articles/deforestation)\", according to Reuters.\n\n## Deforestation\nAccording to JBS, the company already has a zero deforestation policy with its direct suppliers.\nIn 2020, the company announced a plan for zero deforestation by 2025, which will include the implementation of a system to monitor other suppliers.\nJBS has also created an investment fund (Amazon Fund), with the goal of reaching R$1 billion in funds raised.\nHowever, little progress is being made.\nIn 2009, the Greenpeace released a report called \"A Farra do Boi\" (The Ox's Frenzy), exposing the connection between slaughterhouses such as JBS and illegal deforestation.\nThe report forced the slaughterhouses to sign the TAC da Carne (Cattle Agreement) in 2010, committing to purchasing cattle from areas free of illegal deforestation.\nIn 2017, Greenpeace stopped monitoring JBS' compliance with the Compromisso Público da Pecuária na Amazônia (Public Commitment for Livestock in the Amazon) until the company proves it is meeting all the established criteria.\nIn 2011, the Public Prosecutor's Office sent a notice to JBS for purchasing cattle from slaughterhouses involved in environmental crimes in the Maraiwatsede Indigenous Land, in violation of the Cattle Agreement.\n[Repórter Brasil](https://bliptext.com/articles/rep-rter-brasil-organization) revealed that in 2013, JBS acquired hundreds of cattle heads from Cirineide Bianchi Castanha, mother of Ezequiel Antônio Castanha, wanted by the Federal Police for being the biggest deforester in the Amazon of all time.\nAdditionally, he is accused of money laundering, [land grabbing](https://bliptext.com/articles/land-grabbing), and encroachment on public areas.\nOnério Castanha, his father, was one of the group's biggest fronts and is also accused of deforestation and modern-day slavery.\nJBS stated that Onério had already been disconnected from the company since 2012 but would also disconnect from Cirineide.\nIn 2017, De Olho nos Ruralistas, an observatory of [agribusiness](https://bliptext.com/articles/agribusiness) in Brazil, published an article revealing that JBS had purchased 449 cattle heads from Eliseu Padilha's farm, Chief of Staff of the Civil House in the Michel Temer government, since 2014.\nFazenda Cachoeira was embargoed for the illegal deforestation of 755 hectares and did not have authorization from the State Secretary of the Environment to engage in livestock farming.\nThe farm was located within the Serra Ricardo Franco State Park in [Mato Grosso](https://bliptext.com/articles/mato-grosso).\nPadilha controlled four more properties within the park and moved the cattle to avoid the embargoes.\nThe Michel Temer government attempted to protect him, but Padilha faced a fine of R$38.22 million in 2016.\nMuch of the deforestation took place shortly after the creation of the park in 1994.\nIn 2017, the [Instituto do Homem e Meio Ambiente da Amazônia](https://bliptext.com/articles/imazon) and the Instituto Centro de Vida classified JBS as the first among [meat industry](https://bliptext.com/articles/meat-industry) companies involved in deforestation in the Amazon.\nIn 2017, the [Brazilian Institute of the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources](https://bliptext.com/articles/ibama) carried out Operation Cold Meat (not to be confused with Operation Weak Meat), which investigated 15 slaughterhouses and 20 farms that sold meat from embargoed areas for ten months.\nTwo slaughterhouses connected to JBS were investigated.\nIt was found that in some cases, the sales of cattle raised in deforested areas were made directly to the companies.\nIn other cases, they falsified the origin of the cattle or raised them alongside legal areas, which were mixed during the sale.\nAnother issue is the illegal vaccination of cattle.\nThe vaccines are georeferenced, so illegal producers avoid them to avoid incrimination.\nThe company was fined R$24.7 million.\nJBS denies having purchased cattle heads from the slaughterhouses in question.\nThe operation was launched without the knowledge of the [Ministry of the Environment](https://bliptext.com/articles/ministry-of-the-environment-brazil) and faced an attempt to cover it up by the Michel Temer government.\nAs a consequence, Luiz Paulo Printes, acting superintendent of Ibama, was removed from his position.\nIn 2019, an investigation conducted by Repórter Brasil, The Guardian, and Bureau of Investigative Journalism found that JBS continued to purchase cattle raised in deforested pastures.\nJBS refuted the claims, stating that they have a robust monitoring system.\nIn 2019, a partnership between the Stockholm Environment Institute and Global Canopy found that JBS is responsible for the destruction of 28,000 to 32,000 hectares of forests annually for meat exports.\nThe data does not account for domestic consumption in Brazil.\nMighty Earth published a report between March 2019 and November 2020 involving ten companies involved in deforestation in the Amazon and Cerrado, including JBS, Cargill, Bunge, Marfrig, COFCO IMTL, Minerva Foods, ADM, ALZ, Amaggi, and LDC.\nJBS received the lowest ranking in the report.\nThe survey was conducted using satellite images from the National Institute for Space Research (INPE) and other institutions.\nIn 2020, Nordea, the largest bank in northern Europe, divested R$240 million from JBS due to the company's involvement in corruption scandals, deforestation, slave labor, and cases of COVID-19 in the slaughterhouses.\nIn 2020, a report by Amnesty International, supported by a study published in the journal Science, accuses JBS of violating the UN guidelines on corporate social responsibility and human rights and the industry's beef agreement by selling cattle that grazed illegally in indigenous lands that were deforested.\nThe report shows that the lack of monitoring systems allows indirect suppliers, which represent more than half of the suppliers, to have the freedom to deforest.\nJBS responded that independent audits by DNV-GL and BDO show 99.9% compliance with general terms.\nDNV-GL stated that JBS misused the reports since they cannot prove that the company's products are free from deforestation.\nIn 2021, an audit by the Federal Public Ministry showed an increase in the meat marketed in Pará that contained irregularities, mainly coming from deforested areas.\nIn 2019, the percentage was 8.3%, which jumped to 32% in 2021.\nThe company disputes the data.\nThe calendar of the National Institute for Space Research (INPE) runs from August 1 of one year to August 30 of the following year, but since the investigation started on August 1, the company considered only the data from the following year.\nThus, technically, the company would meet the criteria of the Carne Agreement, signed by 49 Pará slaughterhouses.\nNevertheless, the values represent an increasing trend.\nTherefore, JBS committed to improving audits and allocated R$5 million to the government of Pará.\nIn November, the Bolsonaro government presented JBS at the COP-26 as a success story in decarbonizing the animal protein sector, contradicting the report by the Federal Public Ministry.\nThe Sustainable Livestock Working Group, an NGO that includes JBS and other companies such as Santander and Marfrig, stated that the company is aligned with the best practices in science.\nIn 2021, Repórter Brasil, along with Mighty Earth, published an investigation linking major retailers in the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union to deforestation in the Amazon.\nThe cattle that grazed in deforested areas were sold after reaching a certain age on farms by indirect suppliers, who later sell them to slaughterhouses.\nTwo prominent retail resellers are Lidl and METRO, for selling \"in natura\" meat.\nJBS responded that they have adopted the Transparent Livestock Platform strategy to address the problem.\nLidl and Metro stated that 90% of the resold meat is regional and that they are concerned about deforestation.\nAn investigative report by ((o))eco reveals that Dutch and Japanese pension funds are investing in meat industry companies involved in deforestation.\nThe data comes from an analysis conducted by the Forests and Finance NGO and involves companies such as ABP, PFZW, and GPIF.\nDue to the report in 2021, the [Lidl Netherlands](https://bliptext.com/articles/lidl), [Ahold Delhaize](https://bliptext.com/articles/ahold-delhaize), [Carrefour Belgium](https://bliptext.com/articles/carrefour), [Auchan](https://bliptext.com/articles/auchan), [Sainsbury's](https://bliptext.com/articles/sainsbury-s), and [Princes Group](https://bliptext.com/articles/princes-group) imposed sanctions on JBS.\nLidl announced that it would no longer resell meat from [South America](https://bliptext.com/articles/south-america) as a whole, and Albert Heijn (a brand of Ahold Delhaize) announced that it would not resell meat from Brazil.\nEuropean markets had already announced the boycott in March due to [Bill 510/21](https://bliptext.com/articles/bill-510-21), which they considered a threat to the Amazon rainforest.\nIn 2022, [Aldi](https://bliptext.com/articles/aldi) announced that it would not resell Brazilian meat.\nHowever, other institutions such as the bank [UBS](https://bliptext.com/articles/ubs-ag) continue with their investments.\n\n## Involvement with Chaules Volban Pozzebon\nPozzebon was the leader of a criminal organization engaged in illegal logging and extortion, known as the owner of 120 sawmills throughout the [Northern region of the country](https://bliptext.com/articles/northern-region-of-brazil), which earned him the title of 'Brazil's largest deforester'.\nHe was arrested during the 'Deforest Operation', conducted by the [Federal Police](https://bliptext.com/articles/federal-police-brazil), which led to his conviction to 99 years in prison.\n\n## Carbon Emissions\nJBS has a net-zero emissions program by 2040.\nThe company has also implemented two international projects to include herbs such as [lemongrass](https://bliptext.com/articles/cymbopogon-citratus) and tannin in cattle diets to reduce methane emissions.\nThe practice is based on a study commissioned by [Burger King](https://bliptext.com/articles/burger-king), whose data and application have been questioned by researchers.\nIn 2022, a report by the [New Climate Institute](https://bliptext.com/articles/new-climate-institute) and [Carbon Market Watch](https://bliptext.com/articles/carbon-market-watch) revealed that multinational corporations such as JBS, [Vale](https://bliptext.com/articles/vale-s-a), [Sony](https://bliptext.com/articles/sony), [Google](https://bliptext.com/articles/google), and [Nestlé](https://bliptext.com/articles/nestl) lack transparency and integrity in their net-zero carbon programs.\nThese companies collectively account for 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and their measures only result in a maximum reduction of 20% in their carbon footprint.\nIn response, JBS stated that the report is misleading and that their Net Zero program was approved by the [Science-Based Targets Initiative](https://bliptext.com/articles/science-based-targets-initiative) (SBTi) in 2021.\nSBTi also announced that they will review their methodology to align with new standards.\nIn March 2024, [New York Attorney General](https://bliptext.com/articles/attorney-general-of-new-york) [Letitia James](https://bliptext.com/articles/letitia-james) sued [JBS USA](https://bliptext.com/articles/jbs-usa) for violating the state's general business laws on deceptive practices and false advertising.\nThe lawsuit alleges that since a majority of Americans prefer and are willing to pay more for net-zero products, JBS initiated its \"Net Zero by 2040\" marketing campaign before even identifying its [Scope 3](https://bliptext.com/articles/carbon-accounting) emissions arising from the full supply chain of meat production.\nAt the 2023 [Climate Week NYC](https://bliptext.com/articles/climate-week-nyc) event, JBS S.A. CEO Gilberto Tomazoni was questioned by New York Times reporter [David Gelles](https://bliptext.com/articles/david-gelles) over the [Better Business Bureau's](https://bliptext.com/articles/better-business-bureau) determination that JBS' net zero marketing was unsubstantiated, given that the company lacked specific planning to execute on this goal.\n\n# Awards\n\n# Board of directors\nAs of April 30, 2019, board members include:","current_revision":null,"created_by":"kACnuQmH5k9Nr5VNVEpVeg7XpvUmMctD","created_at":"2025-01-26T10:31:02.040Z","updated_at":"2025-01-26T10:31:02.040Z","search_vector":"'jbs':1 's.a':2","search_content":" \n \n**Name:** JBS S.A. \n**Logo Size:** 200px \n**Logo Caption:** Logo used since 2023 \n**Trade Name:** JBS \n**Type:** [Sociedade Anônima](https://bliptext.com/articles/s-a-corporation) \n**Traded As:** [Ibovespa Component](https://bliptext.com/articles/ibovespa) \n**Area Served:** Worldwide \n**Key People:** Gilberto Tomazoni ([CEO](https://bliptext.com/articles/ceo)) Jeremiah O‘Callaghan ([Chairman](https://bliptext.com/articles/chairman)) \n**Industry:** [Food processing](https://bliptext.com/articles/food-processing-industry) \n**Products:** Foods and beverages \n**Revenue:** [US$](https://bliptext.com/articles/us) 72.9 billion (2023) \n**Operating Income:** US$ 8.5 billion (2021) \n**Net Income:** US$ (131) million (2023) \n**Assets:** US$ 42.6 billion (2023) \n**Equity:** US$ 9.7 billion (2023) \n**Num Employees:** +272,565 (2021) \n**Parent:** [J&F Investimentos](https://bliptext.com/articles/j-f-investimentos) \n**Subsid:** [JBS USA](https://bliptext.com/articles/jbs-usa) · [Seara](https://bliptext.com/articles/seara-alimentos) · [JBS Foods International](https://bliptext.com/articles/jbs-foods-international) · [BioTech Foods](https://bliptext.com/articles/biotech-foods) \n**Foundation:** 1953 \n**Founder:** José Batista Sobrinho \n**Location City:** [São Paulo](https://bliptext.com/articles/s-o-paulo) \n**Location Country:** [Brazil](https://bliptext.com/articles/brazil) \n**Homepage:** jbs.com.br/en \n \n\n# \n**JBS S.A.** is a Brazilian [multinational](https://bliptext.com/articles/multinational-corporation) company that is the largest [meat processing](https://bliptext.com/articles/meat-packing-industry) enterprise in the world, producing factory processed [beef](https://bliptext.com/articles/beef), [chicken](https://bliptext.com/articles/chicken), [salmon](https://bliptext.com/articles/salmon), [sheep](https://bliptext.com/articles/sheep), [pork](https://bliptext.com/articles/pork), and also selling by-products from the processing of these meats.\nIt is headquartered in [São Paulo](https://bliptext.com/articles/s-o-paulo).\nIt was founded in 1953 in [Anápolis](https://bliptext.com/articles/an-polis), [Goiás](https://bliptext.com/articles/goi-s).\nAs of 2023, the company had about 500 industrial plants and commercial representations in 24 countries, and its products reach consumers in 180 countries.\n[J&F Investimentos](https://bliptext.com/articles/j-f-investimentos) is a 42% indirect shareholder in JBS S.A., which is listed on American stock markets as **JBSAY**.\nJ&F Investimentos is wholly owned by [Joesley Batista](https://bliptext.com/articles/joesley-batista) and [Wesley Batista](https://bliptext.com/articles/wesley-batista).\nThe company has been regularly criticized on various grounds, including allegations of labor law violations and environmental factors such as for sourcing meat from farms that purportedly contribute to the [destruction of the Amazon rainforest](https://bliptext.com/articles/deforestation-of-the-amazon-rainforest).\n# [Former logo used until 2023. | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/eb/JBS///S.A.///%28logo%29.svg]\n\n# History\n\n## 1953–2000: Formation in Brazil\nJBS was initially established as a slaughtering business in 1953 by José Batista Sobrinho, a rancher from [Anápolis](https://bliptext.com/articles/an-polis).\nThe company's name comes from the founder's initials.\nSobrinho's business began to expand when the establishment of Brazil's capital, Brasilia, brought a new market within reach of his ranch.\nOver the late 1960s Sobrinho expanded into owning slaughterhouses; then, in the 1980s, the company began expanding within Brazil and purchasing other meat processing companies.\nIn subsequent years, the company has grown to become the world's largest company in the beef sector with the acquisition of several stores and food companies in [Brazil](https://bliptext.com/articles/brazil) and around the world.\nJBS became a publicly held company in 2007, and in the same year received a major investment from [BNDES](https://bliptext.com/articles/brazilian-development-bank) (Brazilian Development Bank).\n\n## 2007–2010: US acquisitions\nIn 2007, JBS went through with a US$225m acquisition of U.S. firm [Swift & Company](https://bliptext.com/articles/swift-company), which was the third largest U.S. beef and pork processor, renamed as JBS USA.\nIt leads the world in [slaughter](https://bliptext.com/articles/animal-slaughter) capacity, at 51.4 thousand head per day, and continues to focus on production operations, processing, and export plants, nationally and internationally.\nWith the new acquisition, JBS entered the pork market, to end the year as the third largest producer and processor of this type of meat in the United States.\nThe acquisition expanded the company's portfolio to include rights to the worldwide use of the Swift brand.\nThe next year, JBS acquired [Smithfield Foods](https://bliptext.com/articles/smithfield-foods)' beef business.\nIt was renamed JBS Packerland.\nOn 31 August 2010 it was announced that the company had acquired 64% of [Pilgrim's Pride](https://bliptext.com/articles/pilgrim-s-pride) for a bid of US$800 million, establishing JBS's position in the chicken production industry.\n\n## 2010: South American operations\nOn September 16, 2009, JBS announced that it had acquired the food operation of [Grupo Bertin](https://bliptext.com/articles/grupo-bertin), one of three Brazilian market leaders, consolidating its position as the largest beef producer in the world.\nThe banks [JP Morgan Chase](https://bliptext.com/articles/jp-morgan-chase) and [Santander Brasil](https://bliptext.com/articles/banco-santander-brasil) assisted in the transaction.\nIn August 2010, it was reported that JBS was considering to sell some of the eight slaughterhouses it owned in Argentina because of \"scarce livestock and export restrictions\".\nBetween 2007 and 2010, JBS received around $2.5 billion in investments from BNDES.\n\n## 2011-2016: Expansion, CanaMex acquisitions\nAs of 2011, JBS had been trying to bid to gain control of [Sara Lee Corporation](https://bliptext.com/articles/sara-lee-corporation)'s meat business.\nJBS had shown interest in the meats business but struggled to push forward with a bid for the entire company.\nOn 9 January 2013, [JBS USA](https://bliptext.com/articles/jbs-usa) acquired the Canadian operations of [XL Foods](https://bliptext.com/articles/xl-foods), chiefly the XL Lakeside beef processing plant in [Brooks, Alberta](https://bliptext.com/articles/brooks-alberta) which had at the time the capacity to process 4,000 head of cattle per day.\nOn May 27, 2014, [Pilgrim's Pride](https://bliptext.com/articles/pilgrim-s-pride) Corporation, 75% owned by JBS S.A., made an unsolicited $5.6 billion bid for [Hillshire Brands](https://bliptext.com/articles/hillshire-brands) Co. (HSH).\nOn July 28, 2014, [Tyson Foods, Inc.](https://bliptext.com/articles/tyson-foods-inc) announced its intention to sell Tyson de México and Tyson do Brasil, its Mexican and Brazilian poultry subsidiaries, to JBS S.A. for $575 million in cash by the end of 2014, pending regulatory approval.\nIn 2015, JBS bought the US pork business of [Cargill Inc.](https://bliptext.com/articles/cargill-inc) for $1.45 billion.\nAlso in 2015, JBS S.A. created a board of compliance directors in Brazil.\n\n## 2016: IPO of US unit\nIn December 2016, JBS announced a re-organization plan, which involved an [initial public offering](https://bliptext.com/articles/initial-public-offering) (IPO) in the United States for its international operations, through [JBS Foods International](https://bliptext.com/articles/jbs-foods-international).\nAt the time, it had units on five continents.\n\n## 2017: Brazilian food market drop\nAccording to industry estimates, as of 2017, JBS USA was the second-largest processor of beef and pork in the United States, while JBS-owned Pilgrim's was the second-largest poultry company.\nBy February 2017, JBS had been accused of wrongdoing in a wider investigation into compliance issues in Brazil, although it planned to increase its board of compliance directors from three people to eight.\nAt the time, the company's controlling shareholder [J&F Investimentos](https://bliptext.com/articles/j-f-investimentos) SA was being investigated \"in relation to fraud at state-run companies’ employee pension funds\".\nThe investigation looked into whether JBS possibly benefited from the scheme, including JBS chairman [Joesley Batista](https://bliptext.com/articles/joesley-batista), who denied wrongdoing.\nBy March 2017, JBS SA remained the world's largest supplier of animal protein, after a series of acquisitions in part funded by loans from banks controlled by the Brazilian government.\nGlobal operations included brands Seara, Swift, and [Moy Park](https://bliptext.com/articles/moy-park).\nIn March 2017, JBS was accused by Brazil's environmental regulator of buying cattle raised on illegally deforested Amazon land, with JBS denying wrongdoing.\nOn March 17, 2017, it was announced that Brazil was investigating its meat-packing industry for \"allegedly bribing food-sanitation inspectors\", with JBS SA among the dozens of firms targeted, in particular a single employee.\nJBS shares dropped 10 percent with the announcement.\nJBS denied any wrongdoing and said it had taken “applicable measures” against the one employee included in the investigation, due to his alleged relationships with government inspectors.\nThe announcement of the police allegations led to various nations considering banning Brazilian beef imports.\nChina, 20 other countries, and the European Union subsequently issued temporary bans on Brazilian meat shipments, or increased scrutiny.\nOn March 23, 2017, JBS SA said it had slashed beef production, halting beef production in 33 of its 36 plants for three days, with a plan to cut production by 35% of capacity at all its units.\nJBS stated the \"measures aim at adjusting production until there is a decision about the embargoes imposed by importers.\"\nThe company also spent more on advertising.\nAfter initial trade disruptions, Brazilian meat companies regained access to most international markets.\n\n## 2017: BNDES and bribery investigations\nOn May 12, 2017, authorities announced that they were investigating whether JBS SA had received illegal financing advantages from state-owned bank [BNDES](https://bliptext.com/articles/bndes).\nDubbed \"[Operation Bullish](https://bliptext.com/articles/operation-bullish)\", police stated that these had led to a loss of around $385 million in public funds.\nJBS said the financing was lawful, and BNDES said it was cooperating with authorities.\nExecutives including CEO [Wesley Batista](https://bliptext.com/articles/wesley-batista) and chairman [Joesley Batista](https://bliptext.com/articles/joesley-batista) were questioned by federal police.\nThe court forbade the Batistas from restructuring the business during the investigation.\nOn May 16, 2017, JBS said it might delay its planned IPO due to legal troubles.\nThe CEO made it clear, however, that the IPO was not canceled.\nOn May 17, [O Globo](https://bliptext.com/articles/o-globo) reported that it had obtained a recording of Michel Temer encouraging JBS chairman Joesley Batista to \"bribe a jailed former legislator to buy the lawmaker’s silence.\"\nThe news resulted in protests and calls for Temer's resignation, and the Brazilian stock market dropped.\nTemer denied wrongdoing.\nOn May 17, 2017 O Globo reported that Joesley Batista, through J&F Investimentos, allegedly paid bribes to three presidents.\nDocumentation of the payments was released by the Supreme Court on May 19.\nOn May 19, 2017, Joesley Batista admitted to paying bribes to [Michel Temer](https://bliptext.com/articles/michel-temer), [Dilma Rousseff](https://bliptext.com/articles/dilma-rousseff) and [Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva](https://bliptext.com/articles/luiz-in-cio-lula-da-silva), over the previous 14 years.\nJoesley Batista told prosecutors J&F Investimentos had paid a total of $123 million in bribes to Brazilian politicians in recent years.\nAll three presidents denied accepting bribes.\nTemer alleged Batista had doctored evidence, including a recording of Temer talking to Batista, to make money from the scandal through [insider trading](https://bliptext.com/articles/insider-trading).\nBatista denied illegal share purchases.\nAs of May 22, the [Comissão de Valores Mobiliários](https://bliptext.com/articles/comiss-o-de-valores-mobili-rios) (CVM) was demanding $3.4 billion from J&F Investimentos as part of a promised plea deal, according to the press.\nThe former head of CVM referred to testimony that asserted J&F Investimentos had bribed 1,829 politicians.\nIn May 2017 JBS retained law firm [Baker McKenzie](https://bliptext.com/articles/baker-mckenzie) to negotiate possible criminal charges with the [United States Department of Justice](https://bliptext.com/articles/united-states-department-of-justice) under the [Foreign Corrupt Practices Act](https://bliptext.com/articles/foreign-corrupt-practices-act).\nReports May 31, 2017, said J&F Investimentos had agreed to pay US$3.2 billion in fines, for leniency from the Brazilian government \"over 25 years after admitting to giving roughly $150 million—mostly in bribes—to Brazilian politicians.\"\nJBS shares afterwards rose 9% on São Paulo's [stock exchange](https://bliptext.com/articles/stock-exchange).\nIn exchange for their cooperation, the chairman and his older brother avoided jail time.\nAll three former presidents continued to deny accepting bribes from Joesley Batista.\n\n## 2017: Recruitment of safety director, Mexican divestment\nIn early August 2017, JBS hired Alfred Almanza as its global head of food safety.\nAlmanza had previously been the head of food safety at the [U.S. Department of Agriculture](https://bliptext.com/articles/u-s-department-of-agriculture).\nOn August 3, 2017, it was reported that JBS was selling its stake in its Mexican unit of Vigor Alimentos to [Grupo Lala](https://bliptext.com/articles/grupo-lala).\n\n## 2018: United States Department of Agriculture bailout\nJBS, a Brazilian-owned company, received $22.3 million from the USDA farm bailout package of 2018.\n\n## COVID-19 pandemic\nAt least 277 JBS USA workers at a plant in [Greeley, Colorado](https://bliptext.com/articles/greeley-colorado), were presumed to be infected with [coronavirus disease 2019](https://bliptext.com/articles/coronavirus-disease-2019) in April 2020, leading to the closure of this large meat processing operation with over 3,000 employees; the plant reopened after a 9-day closure.\nThe [Weld County, Colorado](https://bliptext.com/articles/weld-county-colorado) Department of Public Health, where Greeley is located, reported that employees had said that the JBS plant had a \"work while sick\" culture.\nThe company denied any such pressure on workers.\nBy April 15, 102 workers had tested positive for the coronavirus, and four had died.\nOutbreaks of COVID-19 have also been found in five other JBS beef processing plants, in [Souderton, Pennsylvania](https://bliptext.com/articles/souderton-pennsylvania); [Plainwell, Michigan](https://bliptext.com/articles/plainwell-michigan); [Green Bay, Wisconsin](https://bliptext.com/articles/green-bay-wisconsin); [Cactus, Texas](https://bliptext.com/articles/cactus-texas); and [Grand Island, Nebraska](https://bliptext.com/articles/grand-island-nebraska).\nWith 600 workers confirmed and probable cases in the JBS Foods plant in [Brooks, Alberta](https://bliptext.com/articles/brooks-alberta), 7% of the population tested positive for COVID-19.\nAs of May 9, 510 workers had recovered, but one worker died.\nOn 22 April it came to light that even though the plant had added a shift premium of $4 an hour, many employees skipped their shifts forcing the company to reduce their schedule to one shift.\nAs of April 21, the company claimed that there had been no walk-offs.\n\n## Cyberattack\nJBS was [targeted by a cyberattack](https://bliptext.com/articles/jbs-s-a-cyberattack) in late May 2021, which forced the company to temporarily shut down slaughterhouses in Australia, Canada and the United States.\nThe company stood down 7,000 workers across Australian operations and up to 3,000 workers in Canada and the United States.\nIn June 2021, JBS paid $11 million in ransom, using [Bitcoin](https://bliptext.com/articles/bitcoin), to put an end to the cyberattack.\nChief executive Andre Nogueira said: \"This was a very difficult decision to make for our company and for me personally\".\n\n## Cultured meat\nIn 2021, JBS invested US$100 million in [cultured meat](https://bliptext.com/articles/cultured-meat) through [BioTech Foods](https://bliptext.com/articles/biotech-foods), with plans to release to the market by 2024.\n\n# Segments\nJBS operates in the segments of [beef](https://bliptext.com/articles/beef), [pork](https://bliptext.com/articles/pork), [poultry](https://bliptext.com/articles/poultry), fish, and sheep, as well as leather, [collagen](https://bliptext.com/articles/collagen), metal packaging, [biodiesel](https://bliptext.com/articles/biodiesel), and [transportation](https://bliptext.com/articles/transportation).\n\n## Animal and Plant Protein\n\n## Dairy\n\n## Cosmetics and Cleaning\n\n## Others\n\n# Plants and subsidiaries\nJBS's production structure is embedded in consumer markets worldwide, with plants installed in the world's four leading beef producing nations ([Brazil](https://bliptext.com/articles/brazil), [Argentina](https://bliptext.com/articles/argentina), United States, and Australia), serving 110 countries through exports.\n\n# Controversies\n\n## Donations to Electoral Campaigns\nIt is one of the main donors of resources for electoral campaigns in Brazil.\n\n## Roberto Carlos Lawsuit\nIn November 2014, singer Roberto Carlos, who was a spokesperson for one of the group's brands, Friboi, filed a lawsuit against the company due to a contract termination, JBS terminated the contract with the singer due to low commercial performance, as the company expected a much higher commercial return due to Carlos' image, but the strategy did not work out.\nThe singer is seeking a compensation of R$7.2 million in court, but JBS claims to only be obligated to pay R$3.2 million, The advertising contract between JBS and Carlos was initiated in February 2014 and has a total value of about R$45 million, The case still needs to be judged in the 38th Civil Court of São Paulo.\n\n## Labor Lawsuits\nIn June 2014, JBS was sentenced in the second instance by the Regional Labor Court of the 23rd Region, in Mato Grosso, in two different cases opened by the Ministry of Labor (MPT) based on systematic violations of [labor laws](https://bliptext.com/articles/labor-laws).\nOne of the sentences refers to the contamination of the meat served to employees with [larvae](https://bliptext.com/articles/larvae).\nThe other is due to the company's negligence regarding the [health of its workers](https://bliptext.com/articles/occupational-health) by failing to take basic monitoring and safety measures regarding the refrigeration reservoir using [ammonia](https://bliptext.com/articles/ammonia) gas.\nIn this case, Judge Juliano Girardello highlights that \"inspectors detected a strong smell of this chemical product in the engine room.\"\n\n## Political Participation\nJBS was one of the largest donors of resources to the electoral campaign of the general elections in Brazil in 2014, with a total amount of R$391.8 million declared to the Superior Electoral Court.\nThe company donated resources to the campaigns of at least 16 political parties.\nAmong the politicians who received these resources were the former president [Dilma Rousseff](https://bliptext.com/articles/dilma-rousseff), 12 senators, 18 governors, and 190 federal deputies.\n\n## Purchase of U.S. Dollars\nOn May 17, 2017, JBS purchased a large quantity of U.S. dollars in the market a few hours before the disclosure of the scandal that caused the currency to skyrocket and led the [BM&FBOVESPA](https://bliptext.com/articles/bm-fbovespa) to suspend trading after a 10% drop.\nThe information about the company's operation had a negative impact on the financial market and society.\nIn the operation, JBS made a profit of R$170 million.\nThe [Securities and Exchange Commission (CVM)](https://bliptext.com/articles/securities-and-exchange-commission-brazil) will investigate the case.\nThe profit from the operation was more than enough for JBS to pay the multimillion-dollar fine to escape the Greenfield and Lava Jato Operations, in which it is being investigated.\n\n## Financial Aid from the United States\nIn 2019, the [Trump administration](https://bliptext.com/articles/first-presidency-of-donald-trump) allocated US$62.4 million to subsidiary [JBS USA](https://bliptext.com/articles/jbs-usa) from a fund to intended help U.S. farmers affected by the [trade war](https://bliptext.com/articles/trade-war) with China.\nThe [U.S. Department of Agriculture](https://bliptext.com/articles/u-s-department-of-agriculture) announced a contract in the same year to purchase US$22.3 million worth of pork from the company.\nSecretary of Agriculture [Sonny Perdue](https://bliptext.com/articles/sonny-perdue) and Attorney General [Jeff Sessions](https://bliptext.com/articles/jeff-sessions) requested the [U.S. Department of Justice](https://bliptext.com/articles/u-s-department-of-justice) to investigate a possible case of corruption.\nThere were also indications that JBS benefited from trade tensions with increased sales in China.\nJBS stated that despite being a foreign company, it supports American farmers by creating job opportunities.\nIn May 2019, Representative [Rosa DeLauro](https://bliptext.com/articles/rosa-delauro) from Connecticut claimed that President Donald Trump was unaware of the situation.\n\n# Corruption allegations\n\n## Operation Weak Meat\nOn March 17, 2017, some JBS company meatpacking plants were targeted for investigation during [Operation Weak Meat](https://bliptext.com/articles/operation-weak-meat) conducted by the Federal Police (PF).\nAt the time, the PF arrested 36 individuals suspected of involvement in a fraud scheme in the production and commercialization of meat, which involved the corruption of inspectors from the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Supply, as well as producers.\nThe investigation uncovered evidence of product adulteration and the sale of expired and spoiled meat.\nA total of 21 factories were investigated.\nAs a result of the operation, JBS suffered a loss of 15.35% in its market value, which at the time was R$32.6 billion, and it ended up being valued at R$27.6 billion, according to the financial information company Economatica.\nDespite this, the Brazilian meat market continued to thrive.\n\n## Operation Bullish\nOn May 12, 2017, the Federal Police (PF) launched Operation Bullish, which investigated fraud in the loans granted by the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES) through its subsidiary BNDESPAR to JBS.\nThe loans were allegedly granted after the hiring of a consulting company linked to former congressman Antonio Palocci.\nThe targets of the warrants included Luciano Coutinho, who chaired the development bank from 2007 to 2016, and the Batista brothers, Joesley and Wesley, who are in charge of the group's companies.\nThe loans, amounting to R$8.1 billion, were used for the acquisition of other companies in the meatpacking industry.\nThe PF found evidence that these operations were executed without the requirement of guarantees and with the improper waiver of contractual premiums, resulting in a loss of approximately R$1.2 billion to public coffers.\nOn May 17, 2017, the technical area of the Federal Court of Auditors (TCU) calculated that BNDES had incurred losses of R$711.3 million in stock and debenture purchases from the JBS group.\nThe auditors stated that there had been a \"gratuitous transfer of public money\" to the company.\nThis material was one of the elements that led to Operation Bullish.\nTCU technicians assessed that BNDES failed to collect the resources it was entitled to, did not supervise the use of the invested money, and did not consider the social impact of the operations carried out with the group.\n\n## Operation Achilles Tendon\nOn June 9, 2017, the Federal Police carried out a search and seizure operation at the headquarters of JBS in São Paulo.\nThe operation, conducted in conjunction with the Securities and Exchange Commission (CVM), investigated whether JBS and its parent company engaged in insider trading of dollars in the days leading up to the plea bargain of Joesley and Wesley Batista.\nThe operation also investigated the company's activities in the futures market and the dealings of its controlling shareholder FB Participações SA with the company's shares.\nThree search warrants and four coercive measures were executed.\n\n## Operation Car Wash\nJBS and its owners are involved in Brazil's largest political scandal, which has implicated a sitting President of the Republic as well as a Senator.\nAlthough the financial amounts involved are not as substantial as those in the country's largest [corruption](https://bliptext.com/articles/corruption) scandal in recent history, the Car Wash operation, the embezzlement carried out by the Workers' Party and its allies in [Petrobras](https://bliptext.com/articles/petrobras), and the JBS scandal are comparable events.\nThis is due to [Joesley Batista](https://bliptext.com/articles/joesley-batista)'s plea bargain, which directly implicated President [Michel Temer](https://bliptext.com/articles/michel-temer), including highly compromising audio and video recordings.\nIn addition to President Temer, Senator [Aécio Neves](https://bliptext.com/articles/a-cio-neves), who was the target of Operation Patmos, was also mentioned and recorded by the whistleblower.\nDue to the plea bargain, the [Central Bank of Norway](https://bliptext.com/articles/central-bank-of-norway) withdrew JBS from its Government Pension Fund investments.\nThe bank held US$143.4 million in JBS shares.\nIn 2019, [Edson Fachin](https://bliptext.com/articles/edson-fachin) requested the lifting of the Batista brothers' criminal immunity, which led to a 7% drop in JBS shares, resulting in a loss of R$3 billion.\nThe request was made for crimes committed after the plea bargain.\nThe brothers failed to inform the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office about the illicit conduct of former prosecutor Marcelo Miller, who was accused by the Federal Police of receiving R$1.8 million from J&F Investimentos to act as a double agent during the plea bargain negotiations.\nJoesley and Ricardo Saud took four months to disclose the payment of R$500,000 to Ciro Nogueira during Dilma Rousseff's impeachment.\nThe brothers also profited from the sale of JBS shares through insider trading contracts with the dollar.\nAnother factor contributing to the stock market decline was the police summons issued against Dilma Rousseff, Renan Calheiros, Eduardo Braga, and Vital do Rêgo regarding illicit donations of R$40 million from JBS to politicians in the 2014 presidential elections.\n\n## Tax Havens\nThe precise number of JBS's foreign subsidiaries is unknown.\nThe company reported having 32 subsidiaries to the [Securities and Exchange Commission](https://bliptext.com/articles/securities-and-exchange-commission) (CVM), but it told ((o))eco that the number is over 100.\nIn a document submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the company stated that it had 253 controlled subsidiaries in 30 countries.\nMany of the officially declared subsidiaries have conflicting or missing data.\nIn 2016, JBS attempted to relocate its headquarters to Ireland with listings on the [New York Stock Exchange](https://bliptext.com/articles/new-york-stock-exchange).\nThe decision was based on a study by [PwC](https://bliptext.com/articles/pwc).\nThe move was vetoed by [BNDES](https://bliptext.com/articles/bndes), which was viewed negatively by foreign shareholders.\nWesley Batista accepted the decision and promised to seek an alternative.\nIn 2019, JBS considered relocating its headquarters to Luxembourg or the Netherlands as part of its initial public offering process.\nThe plan was called Project Hydra and would involve the relocation of JBS S/A, JBS Global, and Seara.\nIn 2020, documents prepared by [Deloitte](https://bliptext.com/articles/deloitte) revealed a plan to move to the two countries called \"Crystal,\" aiming to mitigate tax risks and exposure.\nJBS stated that it is a multinational company, and the opening and closing of offices are routine.\nIn 2021, a survey conducted by ((o))eco showed that JBS, [Marfrig](https://bliptext.com/articles/marfrig), and Minerva control at least 14 companies in [tax havens](https://bliptext.com/articles/tax-haven), in addition to other companies located in countries that are not [tax havens](https://bliptext.com/articles/tax-haven) but offer facilities, such as Austria.\n\n# JBS Parliamentary Inquiry Commission\nOn September 5, 2017, the [National Congress](https://bliptext.com/articles/national-congress-of-brazil) created the [JBS Parliamentary Inquiry Commission](https://bliptext.com/articles/jbs-parliamentary-inquiry-commission), a [Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry](https://bliptext.com/articles/parliamentary-commission-of-inquiry) (CPI), which aims to investigate the alleged irregularities committed by the [J&F group](https://bliptext.com/articles/j-f-investimentos), which controls JBS, in relation to loans from the [Brazilian Development Bank](https://bliptext.com/articles/brazilian-development-bank) (BNDES) between 2007 and 2016, and the [collaboration](https://bliptext.com/articles/jbs-plea-bargain-in-operation-car-wash) agreement of the group with the [Federal Public Ministry](https://bliptext.com/articles/federal-public-ministry).\nThe CPI has been criticized by lawmakers and the [press](https://bliptext.com/articles/brazilian-press) for being used, in the words of [João Gualberto](https://bliptext.com/articles/jo-o-gualberto) and [Otto Alencar](https://bliptext.com/articles/otto-alencar), to [press](https://bliptext.com/articles/brazilian-press)ure the [Federal Public Ministry](https://bliptext.com/articles/federal-public-ministry), and to change the rules of [plea bargaining](https://bliptext.com/articles/plea-bargain).\nSenator [Randolfe Rodrigues](https://bliptext.com/articles/randolfe-rodrigues), a critic of the CPI, filed a [writ of mandamus](https://bliptext.com/articles/writ-of-mandamus) with the [Supreme Federal Court](https://bliptext.com/articles/supreme-federal-court) requesting the suspension of its proceedings.\nAccording to Randolfe, the CPI aims to \"corner\" the independence of the [Judiciary](https://bliptext.com/articles/judiciary) and the Federal Public Ministry.\n\n# Animal Welfare\nOn July 17, 2018, the NGO [Mercy For Animals](https://bliptext.com/articles/mercy-for-animals) released an investigation at [Tosh Farms](https://bliptext.com/articles/tosh-farms), a JBS supplier in the United States.\nThe footage showed terrible [animal suffering](https://bliptext.com/articles/animal-suffering), including:\nAfter the release of the footage, JBS USA, the American arm of JBS, stated that it had suspended its contract with Tosh Farms based in [Tennessee](https://bliptext.com/articles/tennessee), United States.\nThe supplier provided the JBS USA facility in [Kentucky](https://bliptext.com/articles/kentucky).\nIn Brazil, the company committed to eliminating gestation crates for sows in its operations by 2025.\nHowever, the use of such crates has not yet been prohibited by the company in its supply chains in other countries.\nGestation crates are considered an extremely harmful practice for animals, and there are regulations banning their use in Canada, [New Zealand](https://bliptext.com/articles/new-zealand), Australia, the [European Union](https://bliptext.com/articles/european-union), and ten U.S. states.\n\n# Diseases\nMeatpacking plants are prone to the emergence of [new diseases](https://bliptext.com/articles/zoonosis) due to the forced proximity between humans and animals.\nAnother factor is [deforestation](https://bliptext.com/articles/deforestation).\nAccording to the [USAID](https://bliptext.com/articles/united-states-agency-for-international-development), 31% of diseases transmitted from animals to humans are caused by the [degradation of their natural habitats](https://bliptext.com/articles/habitat-degradation).\nIn Brazil, the [Amazon Rainforest](https://bliptext.com/articles/amazon-rainforest) alone has identified 160 species of bats containing 3,204 different types of [coronaviruses](https://bliptext.com/articles/coronavirus).\n\n## COVID-19 Cases\nDuring the [COVID-19 pandemic](https://bliptext.com/articles/covid-19-pandemic), under pressure from the [Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Supply](https://bliptext.com/articles/ministry-of-agriculture-livestock-and-supply), the meatpacking plants were considered essential and did not halt their operations.\nIn 2020, there was an outbreak of cases in meatpacking plants throughout the country.\nJBS had cases of [COVID-19](https://bliptext.com/articles/covid-19) in a meatpacking plant in [Passo Fundo](https://bliptext.com/articles/passo-fundo).\nThe cases triggered an investigation by the Ministério Público do Trabalho.\nIn the [United States](https://bliptext.com/articles/united-states), JBS along with other companies such as [Tyson Foods](https://bliptext.com/articles/tyson-foods), [Cargill](https://bliptext.com/articles/cargill), [Smithfield Foods](https://bliptext.com/articles/smithfield-foods), and [National Beef](https://bliptext.com/articles/national-beef-packing-company) had 59,000 cases and 269 deaths between March 2020 and February 2021.\nThis led the Donald Trump administration to invoke the [Defense Production Act](https://bliptext.com/articles/defense-production-act) (DPA), a law created to ensure supply during the [Korean War](https://bliptext.com/articles/korean-war), to keep the meatpacking plants operating.\n\n# Environmental allegations\nDespite receiving sustainability awards, and announcing its commitment to reduce carbon emissions by 2040, critics claim JBS has been increasing its emissions.\nIn 2022 one study estimated the company's carbon footprint was larger than that of [Italy](https://bliptext.com/articles/italy).\nCritics also claim the company's environmental policies are a form of [greenwashing](https://bliptext.com/articles/greenwashing).\nA study conducted in 2021 by the Institute of Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) and GRAIN found that JBS is the largest emitter of greenhouse gases among meat and [dairy](https://bliptext.com/articles/dairy) companies by a significant amount, which is linked to the company's economic growth that increases emissions related to meat production and causes deforestation and destruction of watersheds, mainly in Brazil.\nThe Corporate Climate Responsibility Monitor by the New Climate Institute and Carbon Market Watch in 2022 rates JBS programs with very low transparency and integrity.\nJBS released 421.6 million metric tonnes of carbon in 2021, which is a larger output than all of Italy.\nIn a five-year period, JBS's emissions increased by 50%.\nIn December 2022, Brazilian federal prosecutors released a report showing that \"Nearly 17% of the cattle bought by JBS SA in Brazil's Para state in the Amazon rainforest allegedly came from ranches with \"irregularities\" such as illegal [deforestation](https://bliptext.com/articles/deforestation)\", according to Reuters.\n\n## Deforestation\nAccording to JBS, the company already has a zero deforestation policy with its direct suppliers.\nIn 2020, the company announced a plan for zero deforestation by 2025, which will include the implementation of a system to monitor other suppliers.\nJBS has also created an investment fund (Amazon Fund), with the goal of reaching R$1 billion in funds raised.\nHowever, little progress is being made.\nIn 2009, the Greenpeace released a report called \"A Farra do Boi\" (The Ox's Frenzy), exposing the connection between slaughterhouses such as JBS and illegal deforestation.\nThe report forced the slaughterhouses to sign the TAC da Carne (Cattle Agreement) in 2010, committing to purchasing cattle from areas free of illegal deforestation.\nIn 2017, Greenpeace stopped monitoring JBS' compliance with the Compromisso Público da Pecuária na Amazônia (Public Commitment for Livestock in the Amazon) until the company proves it is meeting all the established criteria.\nIn 2011, the Public Prosecutor's Office sent a notice to JBS for purchasing cattle from slaughterhouses involved in environmental crimes in the Maraiwatsede Indigenous Land, in violation of the Cattle Agreement.\n[Repórter Brasil](https://bliptext.com/articles/rep-rter-brasil-organization) revealed that in 2013, JBS acquired hundreds of cattle heads from Cirineide Bianchi Castanha, mother of Ezequiel Antônio Castanha, wanted by the Federal Police for being the biggest deforester in the Amazon of all time.\nAdditionally, he is accused of money laundering, [land grabbing](https://bliptext.com/articles/land-grabbing), and encroachment on public areas.\nOnério Castanha, his father, was one of the group's biggest fronts and is also accused of deforestation and modern-day slavery.\nJBS stated that Onério had already been disconnected from the company since 2012 but would also disconnect from Cirineide.\nIn 2017, De Olho nos Ruralistas, an observatory of [agribusiness](https://bliptext.com/articles/agribusiness) in Brazil, published an article revealing that JBS had purchased 449 cattle heads from Eliseu Padilha's farm, Chief of Staff of the Civil House in the Michel Temer government, since 2014.\nFazenda Cachoeira was embargoed for the illegal deforestation of 755 hectares and did not have authorization from the State Secretary of the Environment to engage in livestock farming.\nThe farm was located within the Serra Ricardo Franco State Park in [Mato Grosso](https://bliptext.com/articles/mato-grosso).\nPadilha controlled four more properties within the park and moved the cattle to avoid the embargoes.\nThe Michel Temer government attempted to protect him, but Padilha faced a fine of R$38.22 million in 2016.\nMuch of the deforestation took place shortly after the creation of the park in 1994.\nIn 2017, the [Instituto do Homem e Meio Ambiente da Amazônia](https://bliptext.com/articles/imazon) and the Instituto Centro de Vida classified JBS as the first among [meat industry](https://bliptext.com/articles/meat-industry) companies involved in deforestation in the Amazon.\nIn 2017, the [Brazilian Institute of the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources](https://bliptext.com/articles/ibama) carried out Operation Cold Meat (not to be confused with Operation Weak Meat), which investigated 15 slaughterhouses and 20 farms that sold meat from embargoed areas for ten months.\nTwo slaughterhouses connected to JBS were investigated.\nIt was found that in some cases, the sales of cattle raised in deforested areas were made directly to the companies.\nIn other cases, they falsified the origin of the cattle or raised them alongside legal areas, which were mixed during the sale.\nAnother issue is the illegal vaccination of cattle.\nThe vaccines are georeferenced, so illegal producers avoid them to avoid incrimination.\nThe company was fined R$24.7 million.\nJBS denies having purchased cattle heads from the slaughterhouses in question.\nThe operation was launched without the knowledge of the [Ministry of the Environment](https://bliptext.com/articles/ministry-of-the-environment-brazil) and faced an attempt to cover it up by the Michel Temer government.\nAs a consequence, Luiz Paulo Printes, acting superintendent of Ibama, was removed from his position.\nIn 2019, an investigation conducted by Repórter Brasil, The Guardian, and Bureau of Investigative Journalism found that JBS continued to purchase cattle raised in deforested pastures.\nJBS refuted the claims, stating that they have a robust monitoring system.\nIn 2019, a partnership between the Stockholm Environment Institute and Global Canopy found that JBS is responsible for the destruction of 28,000 to 32,000 hectares of forests annually for meat exports.\nThe data does not account for domestic consumption in Brazil.\nMighty Earth published a report between March 2019 and November 2020 involving ten companies involved in deforestation in the Amazon and Cerrado, including JBS, Cargill, Bunge, Marfrig, COFCO IMTL, Minerva Foods, ADM, ALZ, Amaggi, and LDC.\nJBS received the lowest ranking in the report.\nThe survey was conducted using satellite images from the National Institute for Space Research (INPE) and other institutions.\nIn 2020, Nordea, the largest bank in northern Europe, divested R$240 million from JBS due to the company's involvement in corruption scandals, deforestation, slave labor, and cases of COVID-19 in the slaughterhouses.\nIn 2020, a report by Amnesty International, supported by a study published in the journal Science, accuses JBS of violating the UN guidelines on corporate social responsibility and human rights and the industry's beef agreement by selling cattle that grazed illegally in indigenous lands that were deforested.\nThe report shows that the lack of monitoring systems allows indirect suppliers, which represent more than half of the suppliers, to have the freedom to deforest.\nJBS responded that independent audits by DNV-GL and BDO show 99.9% compliance with general terms.\nDNV-GL stated that JBS misused the reports since they cannot prove that the company's products are free from deforestation.\nIn 2021, an audit by the Federal Public Ministry showed an increase in the meat marketed in Pará that contained irregularities, mainly coming from deforested areas.\nIn 2019, the percentage was 8.3%, which jumped to 32% in 2021.\nThe company disputes the data.\nThe calendar of the National Institute for Space Research (INPE) runs from August 1 of one year to August 30 of the following year, but since the investigation started on August 1, the company considered only the data from the following year.\nThus, technically, the company would meet the criteria of the Carne Agreement, signed by 49 Pará slaughterhouses.\nNevertheless, the values represent an increasing trend.\nTherefore, JBS committed to improving audits and allocated R$5 million to the government of Pará.\nIn November, the Bolsonaro government presented JBS at the COP-26 as a success story in decarbonizing the animal protein sector, contradicting the report by the Federal Public Ministry.\nThe Sustainable Livestock Working Group, an NGO that includes JBS and other companies such as Santander and Marfrig, stated that the company is aligned with the best practices in science.\nIn 2021, Repórter Brasil, along with Mighty Earth, published an investigation linking major retailers in the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union to deforestation in the Amazon.\nThe cattle that grazed in deforested areas were sold after reaching a certain age on farms by indirect suppliers, who later sell them to slaughterhouses.\nTwo prominent retail resellers are Lidl and METRO, for selling \"in natura\" meat.\nJBS responded that they have adopted the Transparent Livestock Platform strategy to address the problem.\nLidl and Metro stated that 90% of the resold meat is regional and that they are concerned about deforestation.\nAn investigative report by ((o))eco reveals that Dutch and Japanese pension funds are investing in meat industry companies involved in deforestation.\nThe data comes from an analysis conducted by the Forests and Finance NGO and involves companies such as ABP, PFZW, and GPIF.\nDue to the report in 2021, the [Lidl Netherlands](https://bliptext.com/articles/lidl), [Ahold Delhaize](https://bliptext.com/articles/ahold-delhaize), [Carrefour Belgium](https://bliptext.com/articles/carrefour), [Auchan](https://bliptext.com/articles/auchan), [Sainsbury's](https://bliptext.com/articles/sainsbury-s), and [Princes Group](https://bliptext.com/articles/princes-group) imposed sanctions on JBS.\nLidl announced that it would no longer resell meat from [South America](https://bliptext.com/articles/south-america) as a whole, and Albert Heijn (a brand of Ahold Delhaize) announced that it would not resell meat from Brazil.\nEuropean markets had already announced the boycott in March due to [Bill 510/21](https://bliptext.com/articles/bill-510-21), which they considered a threat to the Amazon rainforest.\nIn 2022, [Aldi](https://bliptext.com/articles/aldi) announced that it would not resell Brazilian meat.\nHowever, other institutions such as the bank [UBS](https://bliptext.com/articles/ubs-ag) continue with their investments.\n\n## Involvement with Chaules Volban Pozzebon\nPozzebon was the leader of a criminal organization engaged in illegal logging and extortion, known as the owner of 120 sawmills throughout the [Northern region of the country](https://bliptext.com/articles/northern-region-of-brazil), which earned him the title of 'Brazil's largest deforester'.\nHe was arrested during the 'Deforest Operation', conducted by the [Federal Police](https://bliptext.com/articles/federal-police-brazil), which led to his conviction to 99 years in prison.\n\n## Carbon Emissions\nJBS has a net-zero emissions program by 2040.\nThe company has also implemented two international projects to include herbs such as [lemongrass](https://bliptext.com/articles/cymbopogon-citratus) and tannin in cattle diets to reduce methane emissions.\nThe practice is based on a study commissioned by [Burger King](https://bliptext.com/articles/burger-king), whose data and application have been questioned by researchers.\nIn 2022, a report by the [New Climate Institute](https://bliptext.com/articles/new-climate-institute) and [Carbon Market Watch](https://bliptext.com/articles/carbon-market-watch) revealed that multinational corporations such as JBS, [Vale](https://bliptext.com/articles/vale-s-a), [Sony](https://bliptext.com/articles/sony), [Google](https://bliptext.com/articles/google), and [Nestlé](https://bliptext.com/articles/nestl) lack transparency and integrity in their net-zero carbon programs.\nThese companies collectively account for 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and their measures only result in a maximum reduction of 20% in their carbon footprint.\nIn response, JBS stated that the report is misleading and that their Net Zero program was approved by the [Science-Based Targets Initiative](https://bliptext.com/articles/science-based-targets-initiative) (SBTi) in 2021.\nSBTi also announced that they will review their methodology to align with new standards.\nIn March 2024, [New York Attorney General](https://bliptext.com/articles/attorney-general-of-new-york) [Letitia James](https://bliptext.com/articles/letitia-james) sued [JBS USA](https://bliptext.com/articles/jbs-usa) for violating the state's general business laws on deceptive practices and false advertising.\nThe lawsuit alleges that since a majority of Americans prefer and are willing to pay more for net-zero products, JBS initiated its \"Net Zero by 2040\" marketing campaign before even identifying its [Scope 3](https://bliptext.com/articles/carbon-accounting) emissions arising from the full supply chain of meat production.\nAt the 2023 [Climate Week NYC](https://bliptext.com/articles/climate-week-nyc) event, JBS S.A. CEO Gilberto Tomazoni was questioned by New York Times reporter [David Gelles](https://bliptext.com/articles/david-gelles) over the [Better Business Bureau's](https://bliptext.com/articles/better-business-bureau) determination that JBS' net zero marketing was unsubstantiated, given that the company lacked specific planning to execute on this goal.\n\n# Awards\n\n# Board of directors\nAs of April 30, 2019, board members include:","revisionCount":0},"hasMore":false,"nextCursor":null}