A total of 80 organisations spanning the EU food supply chain, including the NPA have warned that soya imports from Brazil will be put at risk if a 13-year agreement on responsible sourcing is broken.
The Amazon Moratorium letter has been signed by 84 feed companies including protein producers, farming organisations, manufacturers, retailers, investors and trade associations. As well as NPA, signatories include Cranswick, Tulip, 2 Sisters, Morrisons, Moy Park, Asda, Aldi, Co-op, Iceland, Lidl, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Marks & Spencer and Waitrose.
The open letter states that the Amazon is fundamentally important to life on our planet, hosting over 10% of all biodiversity, promoting climate stability through its role as a carbon sink and playing a vital role in regulating rainfall, which is essential for agriculture.
Brazil is one of the world’s major producers of soy and in 2006, a vital agreement known as the Amazon Soy Moratorium (ASM) was established to ensure that soy production in the Amazon region only occurs on existing agricultural land.
“Since then, soy production in the Amazon has increased by 400%, showing that forest protection and agricultural expansion can be compatible,” the letter states, commending the leadership of Brazilian soy stakeholders in achieving this progress.
But it adds: “However, deforestation in the Amazon from other causes (mostly cattle ranching) has continued to grow. Brazilian Government data recently published shows that, since 2012, it has increased from 460 thousand hectares to almost 1 million in the last year.
“These deeply concerning figures reinforce the importance of continuing to uphold the ASM. Yet some parties are now questioning whether it should continue.
“Our position is clear: we want to be able to continue to source from, or invest in, the Brazilian soy industry but if the ASM is not maintained, this will risk our business with Brazilian soy. Today, there is enough existing agricultural land to continue to increase soy production in the Amazon by an additional 600% compared to current figures.
We look forward to supporting Brazilian partners to continue their leadership and show that economic development and environmental protection can go hand in hand.”
NPA policy services officer Lizzie Wilson said: “It is increasingly important that soy is supplied from sustainable sources, which is why we have put our names to this letter stressing the importance of the Amazon Soy Moratorium.
“The UK pig sector and supply chain takes the issue very seriously. We maintain a close interest in it through the UK Roundtable on Sustainable Soya, which is working to ensure sourcing of soya is sustainable and also looking at the feasibility of alternative sources of protein for pig feed.”
Full list of signatories
2 Sisters Food Group • ACTIAM • Ahold Delhaize • Aegon Asset Management • AIC (Agricultural Industries Confederation) • ALDI SOUTH Group • Alliance pour la Préservation des Forêts • AP2 • AP3 • AP4 • AP7 • Aquascot Ltd. • Asda Stores Ltd. • Avara Foods
Barber’s • Belgian Feed Association (BFA) • BioMar • BMO Global Asset Management • Bremnes Seashore AS • British Retail Consortium (BRC) • Candriam • Carrefour • Cermaq • Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes • Cranswick Plc 2
Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids • Duralim • Dutch Food Retail Association (CBL) • EdenTree Investment Management Ltd • Environment Agency Pension Fund • FAIRR • Green Century Capital Management, Inc. • Grieg Seafood ASA
Hermes Investment Management • Hilton Food Group • Iceland Foods Ltd • Iceland Seafood Barraclough Ltd • Inter IKEA Group • Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust • JLens Investor Network • J Sainsbury Plc • Kerry Group • KLP
Lantmännen ek för • Legal & General Investment Management • Lerøy Seafood Group ASA • Lidl GB • Lyons Seafoods • Mars Inc • Marks and Spencer • METRO AG • Mowi ASA • Moy Park • Multiexport Foods • National Pig Association (UK)
Nordlaks Oppdrett AS • NorgesGruppen ASA • NN Investment Partners • Nor-Feed SAS • Norvida AB • Nova Sea AS • Öhman • Pax World Funds • Picard Surgelés • Princes Ltd • REWE Group • Robeco • Scottish Sea Farms • Skandia Seventh Generation Interfaith Inc • Storebrand Asset Management • Strathclyde Pension Fund • Swedbank Robur Fonder AB
Tesco Stores Plc • The Co-operative Group • The Polden Puckham Charitable Foundation • Trusteam Finance • Tulip Ltd • Valorex • Waitrose & Partners • Winterbotham Darby & Co Ltd. • Wm Morrison Supermarkets Plc 3 • Yeo Valley • Zevin Asset.