Brazil prepares to cut down forests for soybeans

Brazilian authorities have suspended a key agreement to protect the Amazon rainforest, a moratorium on soybeans, potentially opening up an area the size of Portugal to destruction by farmers.

The move comes less than three months before Brazil hosts the COP30 climate summit in Belém, and has shocked conservation groups, who say it is more important than ever for consumers and traders to stand up to Brazilian agribusiness groups that are using their growing political power to roll back past environmental gains.

Brazil is the world’s largest exporter of soybeans. The legume, used primarily as animal and fish feed, is one of Brazil’s most widely grown crops and was a major threat to deforestation in the Amazon rainforest until stakeholders voluntarily agreed to impose a moratorium and stop shipments from the region in 2006.

Tags: Brazil, soybean, deforestation