New York Attorney General Sues JBS USA Over Alleged ‘Greenwashing’ and Emissions
New York Attorney General Letitia James has filed a lawsuit against JBS USA, the world’s largest beef producer, accusing the company of “greenwashing” and misleading the public about its environmental impact. The lawsuit alleges that JBS USA’s net-zero pledges for 2030 and 2040 are misleading and not feasible given the scale of its beef production operations.
Beef production is known to have the largest greenhouse gas footprint among major food commodities, and animal agriculture contributes to 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Attorney General James argues that consumers are willing to spend more on products from brands that are better for the environment, and when companies falsely advertise their commitment to sustainability, they are misleading consumers and endangering the planet.
The lawsuit has received support from state Democrats and national climate advocacy organizations such as Earthjustice, Mighty Earth, Friends of the Earth US, Citizens Campaign for the Environment, and Stand.earth. Peter Lehner, an attorney at Earthjustice, stated that JBS’s claim of reaching net-zero emissions by 2040 has been found to be misleading, as the company is not taking sufficient steps to achieve this goal.
Attorney General James highlighted several instances in which JBS USA and its executives made pledges to reduce the company’s environmental impact. For example, in March 2021, JBS announced a pledge to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 across its global operations. The company then ran a full-page advertisement in The New York Times stating that meat production could be part of the climate solution. JBS has continued to promote its sustainability goals and even presented at the United Nations climate summit in Dubai.
JBS USA spokesperson Nikki Richardson responded to the lawsuit, stating that the company takes its commitment to a more sustainable future for agriculture seriously. Richardson disagreed with the action taken by the New York Attorney General’s office and emphasized that JBS will continue to partner with farmers, ranchers, and food system partners to feed a growing population while reducing agriculture’s environmental impact.
The lawsuit comes at a time when environmental groups and lawmakers worldwide are focusing on the agriculture industry’s role in addressing climate change. The global food system, including land-use change, agricultural production, packaging, and waste management, is responsible for 34% of total worldwide emissions, according to a study published in the Nature Food journal.
President Biden’s international climate envoy, John Kerry, has also emphasized the importance of the agriculture industry in achieving green goals. Kerry stated that decarbonization would be impossible without the active involvement of the agriculture sector.
As the lawsuit unfolds, it remains to be seen how JBS USA will respond to the allegations and what impact this case will have on the broader conversation about sustainability in the agriculture industry.