Animal Rebellion occupied the headquarters of Cargill in London during the 2019 Rebellion to ask them to tell the truth and act now about the climate and animal emergency. In March 2020, Animal Rebellion Turtle Island united with other groups in a global day action to call Cargill out. This August 2021, Animal Rebellion is uniting with animal liberation and other groups from across the country to stand in solidarity with the trillions of animal and fish killed yearly. 

We are marching together as allies with non-human animals. 

Message to Cargill

Cargill family: you have perhaps more power than any company, past or present, to either destroy the planet or lead the transition to the only form of a just, sustainable food-system there is: a plant-based one.

The world needs you to #ActNow! Start now the transition to just and sustainable plant-based agriculture. Will you join us today on the right side of history?

Cargill, whilst remaining little-known, has grown to be one of the largest traders of commodities for the animal-agricultural industry. Over the last 130 years, Cargill has become the largest worldwide producer of the grain-based feed for farmed animals and the third-largest “meat processing” company in the world. As of 2019, their agri-business was the largest food-conglomerate in the world. 

Astonishingly, all this makes Cargill directly accountable for: the life and death of billions of commoditised animals every year; for a critical amount of deforestation, air and water pollution; for the wellbeing of the animals fed their grains and ‘processed’ by their plants; for the welfare of millions of humans that work within their supply chains; and for the health of billions more humans that consume the animal products that Cargill directly and indirectly profits from.

Until now, though Cargill is the largest family-owned business in the world, they have managed to oversee a strategy of keeping a deliberately low-profile. But today, Animal Rebellion is asking Cargill to act now and help undo the destruction they have already caused.

McDonald’s supplier

This year we’ve shone light on the on-going issues McDonald’s needs to tackle. McDonald’s is Cargill’s largest customer. Cargill boasts proudly about the seven awards it has received from McDonald’s for their economical, environmental and ethical achievements.  This is just a bad joke. Cargill’s role is well-hidden to the public eye, but it is raising and killing the chickens that McDonalds sell. The silent giant is also selling soya to McDonald’s for chicken and cow feed, unscrupulously deforesting habitats for millions of animals across South America. 

This big corporation must take action now instead of hiding their misdoings, playing for the interests of a few billionaires at the expense of trillions of animals and people. Cargill need to stop pretending to go green and actually make decisions that protect all animals and the planet. They have the power to make big advances globally by transitioning to a just and sustainable plant-based food system. 

Deforestation

Animal farming relies on about 75% of the world’s soy — of which Cargill are the largest producer and which is fed to the animals slaughtered in their farms. Globally more than 1,000,000 square kilometres — three times the size of Germany — is dedicated just to growing soy fed to animals raised for meat. 

Cargill must own up to the destruction of rainforests and carbon-rich peatlands that have contributed significantly to the disruption of hydrological cycles, as well as the destruction of the habitats of many wild animals.

In 2014 Cargill signed a landmark deal with 150 other countries, businesses and civil society organisations, pledging to eliminate deforestation by 2020. However, years on from that and Cargill continue to expand its operation into new, pristine forest outside the Brazilian Amazon. Furthermore, they actively resist the extension of the deforestation-free production agreements into these areas. Cargill has pushed the deadline to end deforestation to 2030, but the animals that inhabit the forest can’t wait that long. How long will Cargill fail to meet their targets? 

Cargill as changemakers

While clinging to its identity as a ‘traditional animal protein’ company, Cargill has invested in plant-based protein producers (such as the pea-protein supplier to Beyond Meat). Does this investment recognise the importance of plant based alternatives to meat or is it only a money-making investmnet?  If Cargill can genuinely recognise the importance of these alternatives, they could have an enormous impact on animal justice. 

Cargill’s food competitors:  Tyson Foods, Maple Leaf Foods and Smithfield Food have taken steps to create their own meat free products. By making similar changes in the way they operate, Cargill could have an enormous impact in reducing and even eradicating the number of animals killed for meat.

Today, people are more informed about the sentience of farmed animals. We know that they are individuals whose lives matter. We are faced with data and numbers that demonstrate the daily massacre of harmless animals. Cargill recently altered their slaughter process for chickens at their London plant, reducing the distress experienced by these sentient beings in response to welfare concerns. Yet, this is not enough. Today, we say that listening to the general public can only mean spearheading a global shift towards a plant-based food system.

Cargill: you have enormous influence over today’s food and agricultural systems and over the companies that work within it! Crucially, you have a massive impact on the existence and habitat quality of billions of animals. We now know that a plant-based food system is the only system that can ensure animal justice. With your investments and your infrastructure, the scale of change necessary is possible.

What’s next:

Click going to the National Animal Rights March on 28th August and get more information on the Facebook event here.

Learn more about how Unilever, another stop during the march, needs to change now for animal justice. We also march to the Marine Stewardship Council to stand for fishes and other sentient aquatic animals. Where is the compassion for sentient marine animals in the fishing industry?

To get ready for the Rebellion, you can do trainings with Extinction Rebellion, a movement with whom we act in solidarity. You can check out our events and trainings here. 

Useful links:

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The post Cargill Family, A Historic Choice is upon You: Planetary Destruction or Animal and Climate Justice? first appeared on Animal Rebellion.

An open letter from Animal Rebellion to the ‘silent giant’ that holds the fate of many of the world’s forests, billions of worlds’ farmed animals and much of the global food-system in its grip.

Over 140 years Cargill, whilst remaining little-known, has grown to be one of the largest traders of commodities for the animal-agricultural industry. Your company is one of a handful that control up to 90% of the worlds grain markets. Your company is also the largest worldwide producer of the grain-based feed for farmed animals and the third-largest “meat processing” company in the world.Today, your agri-business is the largest food-conglomerate in the world.

Astonishingly, all this makes your organisation directly accountable for: the life and death experiences of billions of commoditized animals every year; for a critical amount of deforestation, air and water pollution; for the wellbeing of the animals fed your grains and ‘processed’ by your plants; for the welfare of millions of humans that work within its supply chains; and for the health of billions more humans that consume the animal products that Cargill directly and indirectly profits from.

Cargill is also the largest family-owned business in the world: your family members hold together a 90% stake. Until now, you have overseen a strategy of keeping a deliberately low-profile, but today Animal Rebellion is asking you to call time on that secrecy!

During the International Rebellion, rebels called for Cargill to #TellTheTruth about the real costs of their business. We are calling for you, the Cargill family, to step up to your responsibilities to farmed animals, to humans and to the planet — the home of all of us.

Cargill family: you have perhaps more power than any company past or present to either destroy the planet or, instead to lead the transition to the only form of a just, sustainable food-system there is: a plant-based one.

The world needs you, Cargill, to #ActNow! Help end the harmful and destructive animal farming industries that are fuelling climate breakdown and ecological collapse. Will you join us today on the right side of history?

Unfortunately, much of the Cargill story known to a public concerned about ecological destruction and animal justice is one of deforestation, air and water pollution, dangerous food contamination, human rights abuses and tax evasion. Just some of the most striking examples include:

Deforestation

Animal farming — the ‘meat industry’ — relies on about 75% of the world’s soy — of which you, Cargill, are the largest producer and which is fed to the animals slaughtered in your plants. Globally more than 1,000,000 square kilometres — three times the size of Germany — is dedicated just to growing soy.On top of this, you are one of the world’s largest importers and exporters of palm oil, and direct owners of five palm oil plantations .

This means you must own up to your company’s responsibility for the destruction of tropical and lowland rainforests and carbon-rich peatlands that have characterised this trade and have contributed significantly to climate change and the disruption of hydrological cycles, as well as the destruction of many wildlife habitats. It also means you have to bear responsibility for emitting, together with the other two largest meat-producing businesses — more greenhouse gases that the whole of France.

In 2014 Cargill signed a landmark deal with 150 other countries, businesses and civil society organisations, pledging to eliminate deforestation by 2020. However, years on from that and your company has continued to expand its operation into new, pristine forest outside the Brazilian Amazon, whilst resisting the extension of the deforestation-free production agreements into these areas.

Polluting air and water

In June 2001 a Cargill subsidiary was fined for misleading officials about emissions of pollutants such as carbon monoxide, found to be at 15 to 50 times the legal level and just three months later Cargill was fined $1.5 million for illegally dumping pig manure near its facility in Missouri, killing 50,000 fish. In the years that followed, there were many more incidents of environmental pollution, including toxic brine released into water ways, phosphorous-laden chicken waste spread on fields, more pig manure releases and tens of millions more fish killed.

And all of that is just in the US…before describing the rivers and land of indigenous peoples claimed to be seriously polluted by pesticides sprayed on fields from overhead. Some local populations of soy plantations report an increase in birth defects, cancers and respiratory illnesses, and the loss of domesticated animals from herbicide exposure.

Food contamination

Cargill has been responsible for more than ten widespread outbreaks of E. coli, Listeria and antibiotic resistant Salmonella since 2000, some of which have been deadly and requiring the recall of hundreds of tonnes of contaminated animal products.

Human rights violations

Troubling past allegations of enslaved children involved in the production of some of the raw materials that Cargill purchases, including cotton from Uzbekistan and cacao from the Ivory Coast, have been named in an ongoing court case, as well as on its own palm oil plantations in Papua New Guinea.

Also at the PNG plantations, formally independent farmers are being converted into de facto bonded laborers, and indigenous communities have consistently reported the destruction of their natural habitats and intimidation through violence in zones claimed to be producing for Cargill.

Tax evasion

In 2018 the UK Revenue and Customs won a £79 million tax avoidance case against Cargill (together with Goldman Sachs), related to the acquisition of a gas-fired power plant from the collapsed firm Enron in 2001. Seven years earlier, Cargill, along with several other grain mega-traders, was accused of substantial tax evasion by Argentina.

All of these reasons are why we speak directly to you, Cargill family. Your operations acutely impact the wellbeing and survival of beings from all walks of life, from all species, across the globe. The world needs you NOW to lead your industry in shutting down the mechanics of animal exploitation and environmental destruction, and in putting an end to practices that harm tens of billions of sentient beings.

You have the choice, and the world’s eyes are upon you now.

We warmly welcome your investment in plant-based protein producers (such as the pea-protein supplier to Beyond Meat)and cultivated meat technologies (Memphis Meats and Aleph Farms), and you have recognised the importance of these alternatives in feeding the world. However, you continue to cling to your identity as a ‘traditional animal protein’ company. Many of your competitors are embracing the switch to being “protein” companies, such as Tyson Foods, whilst others have taken the next step to creating their own plant-based protein products, such as Maple Leaf Foods and Smithfield Food. By making similar changes in your operations, Cargill could have an enormous impact on food sustainability, environmental health and social and climate justice.

We also welcome your investment in charitable initiatives to support food security — like your recently-launched initiative with Heifer International “Hatching Hope”. However, this partnership aims to improve the nutrition of 100 million people by 2030 based on greater production, promotion and consumption of poultry. We urge you to use these opportunities to leave behind the destructive and harmful practices of animal farming, and help vulnerable communities to feed themselves with foods that are more , more sustainable and more ethical: plant-based foods. The enormous amount of food we directly feed to livestock should be fed directly to those who need it.

Lastly, we applaud you also for listening to your customers, and listening to the concerns of the individuals that consume the animals that you process. Just last year you radically altered your slaughter process for chickens at your London plant, reducing the distress experienced by these sentient beings in response to welfare concerns. Cargill, we believe these welfare concerns are only going to increase as the public becomes rapidly more informed about the suffering of farmed animals and as they are faced with the stark facts about the central role of animal agriculture in the climate emergency. Today, we say that listening to your customers and consumers can only mean spearheading a global shift towards a plant-based food system.

Cargill: you have enormous influence over today’s food and agricultural systems and over the companies that work within it? Crucially, you have a massive impact on wellbeing, and now the survival, of tens of billions of living beings whose habitats, livelihoods and very lives are now facing extreme risk.

We now know that a plant-based food system is the only system that can minimise the risk of climate breakdown, halt mass extinction and avert social collapse.

With your investments and your infrastructure, we can we can start the urgent project to build a just and sustainable plant-based food system for the planet.

The post Cargill Family, A Historic Choice is upon You: Planetary Destruction or Climate, Animal and Human Justice? first appeared on Animal Rebellion.

According to Brazil’s space research centre Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE), over 75,000 fires have now been spotted in 2019 so far — an 85 per cent increase from the same period last year.

It’s believed around one million indigenous people from up to 500 tribes are at risk from the fires, while hundreds of thousands of other animals for whom the dense forest is home, are desperately trying to flee, or are dying agonising deaths in this human-made inferno.

Massive amounts of carbon are being emitted into the atmosphere as smoke billows up from the blazes and blankets entire cities such as Sao Paolo, blocking the sun, and turning day into night. The fires are not restricted to Brazil but are affecting other countries in the Amazon basin. In Bolivia, video footage from its Santa Cruz department shows monkeys and other animals running in search of shelter from the fires, amid burning trees and a blackened landscape. The European Union’s Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (Cams), reports that smoke has reached the Atlantic coast.

While Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil’s right wing president, has been pointing the finger at NGOs for igniting the fires, there is no evidence to support this claim. In fact, evidence points squarely at Bolsonaro himself for inciting farmers to set the forest ablaze in order to clear the way for cattle grazing land and soy production.

Bolsonaro has made no bones about his apparent death-wish against the Amazon and its human and nonhuman inhabitants. Upon entering office, Bolsonaro proudly asserted that he would be dismantling existing environmental protections to make way for agricultural land expansion and intensified production and his policies have reflected this.

According to OpenDemocracy (DemocraciaAbierta), recently leaked documents suggest that Bolsonaro intends on wreaking yet more havoc on our earth’s respiratory system, by cutting through it to build hydro dams, bridges, and highways to service the booming agricultural sector. To crush opposition before it has a chance to form, Bolsonaro plans on increasing government presence — which will almost certainly translate into intimidation and aggression, and perhaps worse, against local communities and activist groups — in the affected areas.

What is particularly disturbing about Bolsonaro’s position is that he regards the conquest of the Amazon as part of a Brazilian nationalist project and those who oppose its systematic annihilation as part of a leftist conspiracy to undermine Brazilian national sovereignty.

Meanwhile, indigenous communities’ legitimate claims to sovereignty within the region are being trampled on. Although not necessarily stated in the leaked documents, it is clear that part and parcel of Bolsonaro’s extremist ideology is the idea that cattle farming is integral to Brazilian national identity. At stake are not only local identities and ways of life, but life on earth as such.

Celebrities and global leaders have joined the chorus of public figures calling for action. Leonardo Decaprio, Madonna, and Ariana Grande, among others, have expressed horror and apocalyptic scenario, while president Emmanuel Macron tweeted, “Our house is burning. Literally,” and called for the fires to be a top priority in discussions at the upcoming G7 Summit.

But much more urgent action at the grassroots level is needed. The climate is already in major crisis and these recent events only accelerate our headlong journey to catastrophe. We cannot rely on world leaders like Macron, who have a vested interest in maintaining the eco- and zoocidal status quo, to save the earth in yet another round of talks. It is past time to take matters into our own hands — to take to the streets and in peaceful protest demand swift action to slow the tide of destruction.

To this end, we animal justice activists from newly formed movement Animal Rebellion joined climate justice group Extinction Rebellion outside the Brazilian Embassy in London on Friday 23rd August to mass protest the Brazilian government’s responsibility for the fires raging through the Amazon rainforest. Around a thousand people attended the protest, which was led by Brazilian indigenous groups. In line with Animal Rebellion’s use of non-violent civil disobedience to bring about change, the protest included an occupation of the street outside the Brazilian Embassy and surrounding area.

While Bolsonaro, lit the proverbial match, the global animal agricultural industry and the desire for animal flesh around the world are ultimately the main culprits.. Condemning Bolsonaro for his negligence is paramount, as he is directly responsible for this latest act of zoocide. It is essential to take Bolsonaro to task for his ruthless and unforgiving scorched earth policy, but he has only brought to a head an already perilous situation for which our totally unsustainable profit-driven and exploitative global food system is fundamentally to blame. We are facing an existential crisis that can be mitigated but by no means solved by removing Bolsonaro from office and boycotting Brazilian products. An entire overhaul of the global food production system is needed.

Through peaceful civil disobedience, governments worldwide need to be pressured to take a cold hard look at what it is really fuelling this inferno — global animal agriculture.

Our governments need to commit to taking immediate steps to transition to a sustainable plant-based food system. According to the UK government’s own report, agriculture is estimated to be the driver for around 80 per cent of deforestation worldwide. Approximately 450,000 square kilometres of deforested Amazon in Brazil are now cattle pasture. A 2015 study calculated that “pasture [cleared for cattle] was the dominant driver of forested area and related carbon loss in South America”. Compared to data from 1970, over 90 percent of the cleared land in the Amazon region has been converted to cattle ranching.

While we must rise up in peaceful protest against Bolsonaro and his shamefully irresponsible policies, we must also ramp up pressure on governments worldwide to change our food system now. Time is running out.

The post The Amazon Ablaze: Bolsonaro and the Meat Industry Are Fuelling the Flames first appeared on Animal Rebellion.