Oxford research exposing slavery & rainforest destruction in Brazil
Max | 10.01.2006 16:22 | Oxford
Research by David Ismail, a farmer sponsored by Oxford based Nuffield Foundation, presented at the Oxford Farming Conference has exposed how slave labour is being used in Brazil to clear rainforest for cattle farms.
Brazil has one of the worlds most concentrated landownership and much of the rain forest is being destroyed by farmers supplying the West's demand for fast food meat.
For more information on the situation on Brazil and what you can do to help speak to the Oxford Brazil Solidiarity Group on 07960 49 44 99.
To kick the meat habit see Oxford Vegetarians & Vegans at
http://www.ivu.org/oxveg/
Oxford Farming Conference - http://www.ofc.org.uk/
From www.rhass.org.uk
Brazilian Beef Comes At A Price, Says Nuffield Food Chain Scholar
Report Highlights Rainforest Destruction and Slave Labour
Brazil may be the world’s leading beef exporter but its beef should be banned from Britain because of the country’s record of destruction of the Amazon Rainforest and the use of slave labour.
According to David Ismail of Dinar Estate Management, Fordel, Glenfarg….”while there is much to admire about the Brazilian beef industry, there is a dark side.”
“Brazil is destroying an area larger than Wales each year and according to US Department of State reports, 25,000 workers are trapped in forced labour schemes throughout the country.”
Mr Ismail, a Nuffield Food Chain Scholar, reports these findings as part of a recent study of the international beef trade. The Nuffield Food Chain Award is sponsored jointly by the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland and the Royal Smithfield Club.
In a presentation to RHASS Directors also featured in the RHASS “Review” magazine, Mr Ismail said that Brazil’s cattle population had increased from 56 million in 1961 to 192 million in 2004. There had been rapid genetic improvement, improved pasture management and traceability and cattle identification programmes which were up to EU standards.
Between August 2004 and 2005, Brazil exported 2.1 million tonnes of beef valued at 2.89 billion dollars, a 41% increase on the same period 2003-2004. The EU is Brazil’s main customer, taking 39% of exports.
Direct Brazilian imports to the UK of fresh, boneless beef increased by 49% between 2004 and 2005, while frozen boneless beef imports increased by 78.6% for the same period.
Mr Ismail said: “What is amazing is that Brazilian beef is allowed into the UK and the EU at all.
“Between 1977 and 2004, Brazil destroyed over 500,000 square kilometres of Amazon Rainforest, an area equal in size to the land area of Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Portugal, the Republic of Ireland and the entire United Kingdom, combined.
“While beef exports grow, the rainforest destruction increases with an area larger than Wales destroyed in 2004.”
According to Brazil’s Anti-Slavery Mobile Enforcement Team: “Slave labour is directly linked to deforestation. There are more and more cattle ranchers who want to increase the size of their herds, but to do that they need more space, so the clearing of land is a constant.”
Mr Ismail told RHASS Directors: “In my opinion, while slavery exists in the beef supply chain of Brazil, while the Amazon Rainforest is destroyed for the production of Brazilian beef, there is no place for it in the supermarket aisles of the UK.
“There is no place for Brazilian beef in our restaurants and definitely no place for it in our kitchens.”
15 December 2005
For more information on the situation on Brazil and what you can do to help speak to the Oxford Brazil Solidiarity Group on 07960 49 44 99.
To kick the meat habit see Oxford Vegetarians & Vegans at
http://www.ivu.org/oxveg/ Oxford Farming Conference -
http://www.ofc.org.uk/ From www.rhass.org.uk
Brazilian Beef Comes At A Price, Says Nuffield Food Chain Scholar
Report Highlights Rainforest Destruction and Slave Labour
Brazil may be the world’s leading beef exporter but its beef should be banned from Britain because of the country’s record of destruction of the Amazon Rainforest and the use of slave labour.
According to David Ismail of Dinar Estate Management, Fordel, Glenfarg….”while there is much to admire about the Brazilian beef industry, there is a dark side.”
“Brazil is destroying an area larger than Wales each year and according to US Department of State reports, 25,000 workers are trapped in forced labour schemes throughout the country.”
Mr Ismail, a Nuffield Food Chain Scholar, reports these findings as part of a recent study of the international beef trade. The Nuffield Food Chain Award is sponsored jointly by the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland and the Royal Smithfield Club.
In a presentation to RHASS Directors also featured in the RHASS “Review” magazine, Mr Ismail said that Brazil’s cattle population had increased from 56 million in 1961 to 192 million in 2004. There had been rapid genetic improvement, improved pasture management and traceability and cattle identification programmes which were up to EU standards.
Between August 2004 and 2005, Brazil exported 2.1 million tonnes of beef valued at 2.89 billion dollars, a 41% increase on the same period 2003-2004. The EU is Brazil’s main customer, taking 39% of exports.
Direct Brazilian imports to the UK of fresh, boneless beef increased by 49% between 2004 and 2005, while frozen boneless beef imports increased by 78.6% for the same period.
Mr Ismail said: “What is amazing is that Brazilian beef is allowed into the UK and the EU at all.
“Between 1977 and 2004, Brazil destroyed over 500,000 square kilometres of Amazon Rainforest, an area equal in size to the land area of Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Portugal, the Republic of Ireland and the entire United Kingdom, combined.
“While beef exports grow, the rainforest destruction increases with an area larger than Wales destroyed in 2004.”
According to Brazil’s Anti-Slavery Mobile Enforcement Team: “Slave labour is directly linked to deforestation. There are more and more cattle ranchers who want to increase the size of their herds, but to do that they need more space, so the clearing of land is a constant.”
Mr Ismail told RHASS Directors: “In my opinion, while slavery exists in the beef supply chain of Brazil, while the Amazon Rainforest is destroyed for the production of Brazilian beef, there is no place for it in the supermarket aisles of the UK.
“There is no place for Brazilian beef in our restaurants and definitely no place for it in our kitchens.”
15 December 2005
Max
