UK: Investigation reveals connection between popular dairy products and soya from recently deforested farms in the Brazilian Cerrado
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"Cadbury chocolate and Anchor butter among UK dairy products linked to deforestation in Brazil", 13 October 2021
...Cadbury’s chocolate, Cathedral City cheddar, Anchor butter, Country Life butter, Clover dairy spread, Davidstow cheddar, Arla’s Cravendale milk, and Asda’s Farmers Milk - all proudly wear their British farm credentials, and we consume them in vast quantities. But an investigation by ITV News, The Bureau of Investigative Journalism and Greenpeace Unearthed has linked them to the destruction of vast tracts of Brazilian forest through soya – a protein-rich cattle feed supplement...
We can reveal that soybeans from deforested land are being mixed in with certified beans and ultimately fed to dairy cattle in the UK...
The UK imports around 2.6 million tonnes of soybeans for animal feed each year - that's the equivalent weight of more than 5,000 jumbo jets. Nearly 30% comes from Brazil, according to EFECA, and much of that from the Cerrado region – the most endangered biodome on the planet.Over the years, more than half of the Cerrado's original forest has been cleared for agriculture...
Our investigation found Cargill, one of the world’s largest food conglomerates, is sourcing soya from recently deforested farms in the Cerrado...Dairy farmers here believe they are buying sustainably soured soya, but our investigation suggests otherwise...
...Cargill told ITV News: “We take this type of grievance against a supplier very seriously…..If violations are found in any area, we will take immediate action in accordance with our Soy Grievance Process"...
Arla Foods who make Anchor butter, Cravendale milk, and ASDA’s Farmers milk told ITV News: “Both Arla and the dairy farmers that own our cooperative are taking steps to manage our use of soy responsibly. Since 2014, we have purchased RTRS-credits to cover use of soy in feed on Arla owner farms and in ingredients that is not already certified.”
Saputo, who make Cathedral City cheddar, Country Life butter, Clover dairy spread and Davidstow cheddar said: “From early 2022, our Davidstow Farm Standards will mandate that all farms which supply to Saputo Dairy UK’s Davidstow creamery must source feed from suppliers with a sustainable soy purchasing policy”...
Mondelez, which owns Cadbury, said: “Eliminating deforestation is critical to protecting the local ecosystems that farmers need to produce sustainable raw materials."As part of our commitment to tackling deforestation, we have made it clear that we expect all our UK dairy suppliers to work with us and contractually commit to ensuring they are sourcing 100% deforestation free feed by 2023”...