This is the second largest ecosystem in South America after the Amazon. Soy imported from the Chaco is used to produce animal feed for European cattle, without reliable traceability to plantations to ensure its sustainability.
Ground reporting documented vast land clearing in the areas which are home to soy storage facilities of Bunge, Cofco and Louis Dreyfus, three of the World's largest agri-commodity traders. Data analysis shows that the two companies shipped soy from those areas to Italy and Spain.
A top Italian feed producer was found buying soy from Bunge and Cofco and supplying pigs and cows farms associated with Prosciutto San Daniele and Parmigiano Reggiano. None of the actors involved in the supply chain confirmed that the soy followed from the Chaco to supermarkets is deforestation-free.
Photo: Soy beans in Argentina. CC Javier/Flickr
