São Paulo, May 30, 2019 – Márcio Nappo, JBS Sustainability director, attended the launch of the “Small big farmers: the challenges of sustainable livestock breeding in the Amazon and the potential for Innovation and Learning Centers” study in São Paulo on May 28. The study was financed by the Dutch government with support from Embrapa and was organized by the University of Wageningen, the Solidarity NGO and the Sustainable Livestock Working Group (GPTS).
Nappo highlighted the importance of the initiative, because Brazil has few robust studies of livestock breeding in the Amazon. “The study consolidates and confirms a number of important livestock breeding trends, such as the issue of reducing deforestation while increasing productivity, economic diversification on farms, combining cattle breeding with other crops such as grains and cocoa and the territorial approach based on production clusters, which are used to support and engage farmers and companies around a unified agenda”, he explained.
The study analyzed the challenges and operational, technical and institutional feasibility of reproducing best low carbon farming practices at scale among small-scale calf breeders in the Amazon. The study also proposes a strategy of implementing Innovation and Learning Centers (NIAs) that focus on sustainable production models for small-scale livestock breeders in the Amazon. Read the study here: https://pecuariadecriasustentavel.wordpress.com/ospequenos-grandes
Nappo highlighted JBS’s experience working with small-scale farmers in São Miguel do Guaporé, in Rondônia. “The Company has a social project that involves around 200 farming families who supply raw material to the JBS business units. We provide these farmers with ongoing technical support on farming and sustainability issues. This is part of our social transformation agenda to improve people’s lives and increase families’ incomes”, he said.
In addition to the JBS Sustainability director, the roundtable discussing the study also included Daniela Mariuzzo, executive director for the IDH institute in Brazil; Joyce Brandão, Sustainable Production Chain Program manager at the Solidarity NGO in Brazil and Marcelo Stabile, a researcher at Ipam (the Amazon Environmental Research Institute).
About JBS
JBS is one of the world’s leading food industry companies with approximately 230 thousand employees in 15 countries. The Company owns a portfolio of brands that are acknowledged for their excellence and innovation, including Friboi, Moy Park, Pilgrim’s Pride, Primo, Seara, Swift, Gold’n Plump and others, serving over 275,000 customers of more than 190 nationalities worldwide. The company’s focus on innovation also reflects its management approach to related businesses in areas such as leather, biodiesel, collagen, personal hygiene and cleaning products, natural wrappings, solid waste management solutions, metal packaging and transportation. JBS has adopted best sustainability practices throughout its value chain and constantly monitors its suppliers using satellite imagery, georeferenced maps of supplier farms and monitors official data from government agencies; the company also focuses on the highest possible food safety and quality standards. The success of JBS’s operations is closely tied to our Animal welfare practices, which are rigorously applied and have received an increasing share of investments to further improve the Company’s efforts in this area, in line with best practices.
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