Human Rights Watch Urges Brazil to Act on Illegal Ranches, Holds JBS Accountable for Amazon Deforestation

HRW Report Exposes Illegal Ranching's Toll on Amazon Indigenous Lands

Human Rights Watch (HRW) issued a report on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, highlighting the severe consequences of illegal cattle ranching in the Brazilian Amazon. The report, titled 'Tainted: JBS and the EU's Exposure to Human Rights Violations and Illegal Deforestation in Pará, Brazil,' specifically details the devastation inflicted upon Indigenous peoples in the state of Pará. HRW has urged the Brazilian federal government to take decisive action to remove these illegal ranches, restore affected communities, and provide compensation for the unlawful occupation of their lands. The organization also called upon JBS, the world's largest meat-processing company, to address its responsibility in the ongoing deforestation crisis.

Devastation in Terra Nossa and Cachoeira Seca

The HRW report brings to light the dire situation in specific areas, including the Terra Nossa settlement and the Cachoeira Seca Indigenous territory in Pará state. These regions have experienced significant encroachment by illegal cattle ranching. By 2023, an alarming 45.3 percent of the Terra Nossa settlement had been converted into illegal ranches. Furthermore, in 2024, the Cachoeira Seca Indigenous territory recorded the highest level of deforestation among all Indigenous territories. Lawful residents in these areas face displacement, with their homes and crops destroyed, and any resistance is often met with violence. Indigenous land rights, protected under both Brazilian and international law, are being systematically violated, as commercial cattle ranching is prohibited in these protected zones.

JBS's Supply Chain Under Scrutiny

HRW's investigation links some of the illegal farms operating in these protected areas to suppliers of JBS. The report indicates that cattle raised on illegally deforested land are often moved through a 'laundering' system designed to conceal their origins before reaching JBS. While JBS maintains a 'Deforestation-free supply chain global policy' and has stated its intention to require direct suppliers to provide information on indirect suppliers by 2026, HRW points out a critical gap. According to Luciana Téllez Chávez, Senior Environment Researcher at HRW, JBS still lacks an effective system to track its indirect suppliers, despite having pledged to implement one as early as 2011. This lack of traceability means the company cannot fully guarantee that its products are free from links to deforestation and associated human rights abuses. Previous reports by other organizations have also highlighted JBS's alleged connections to deforestation and illegal sourcing.

Urgent Calls for Brazilian Government Action

HRW's report underscores the urgent need for the Brazilian government to enforce its environmental laws. Despite the federal government's obligation to remove illegal ranches, action has been notably absent in many cases. Cattle ranching remains the single largest driver of deforestation in the Amazon, contributing to a 17 percent deforestation level across the biome. The organization's recommendations include:

• Removing illegal ranches from Indigenous territories and protected areas.
• Restoring affected communities and compensating them for land loss.
• Implementing a robust, federal cattle tracking system to ensure transparency in the supply chain.

The report emphasizes that tackling deforestation and human rights abuses embedded in cattle supply chains is a shared responsibility between sellers and buyers, urging both the government and corporations like JBS to uphold their commitments to environmental protection and human rights.