The Brazilian soy suppliers to the salmon industry, CJ Selecta, Caramuru and Imcopa/Cervejaria Petrópolis, will implement a 100% deforestation- and conversion-free soybean value chain with 2020 as their cut-off date. No soy grown on land deforested after this deadline will be traded. This bold and historic move sets a new benchmark for global sustainable supply chains and is in stark contrast to larger Brazilian soy traders, who continue to trade deforestation soy.

As a result of the move, the majority of the globally farmed salmon industry, including the entire European salmon sector, will source soy from Brazilian suppliers whose soybean value chains are 100% deforestation and conversion free.

This is the very first time Brazilian soy suppliers have made such a commitment. The decision is hailed by global environmental organizations, international retailers, salmon farmers, feed companies, and salmon processors and investors, who are deeply concerned about the increasing deforestation and conversion rates in Brazil.

“Today’s announcement is a testament to over a decade of collaboration and shows the result of establishing long-term commitments with Brazilian soy farmers. It also demonstrates the strength of the BioMar supplier approval program (SAAT) and how working together to find solutions can result in systemic change. We hope all supply chains will be inspired to move in this direction of transparency to ensure an open and traceable aquaculture industry,” stated Morten Holdorff Møjbæk, global sourcing director, BioMar Group.

“The Brazilian soy suppliers and the Norwegian salmon industry show true leadership and sets the new bar for sustainable supply chains. This historic commitment by their Brazilian soy suppliers will be a game-changer for the sustainability standard for global supply chains. Global pork, poultry and beef producers are lagging behind by still allowing deforestation in their supply chain. To stop being complicit in deforestation, the meat industry must follow suit and require their suppliers to become fully deforestation-free,” Ida Breckan Claudi, Rainforest Foundation Norway, senior adviser.

Catarina Martins, chief technical officer of Mowi, said that “together with other members of the ‘Aquaculture Dialogue on Sustainable Soy Sourcing from Brazil’ group, we applaud this bold leadership move from Caramuru, CJ Selecta and Imcopa to protect the Brazilian environment and wildlife outside of the salmon value chain. It is this commitment to our environment that will keep our industry sustainable and I hope other animal protein industries are inspired to do the same.”