Brazilian labor prosecutors have filed a lawsuit against global meatpacking giant JBS, accusing the company of purchasing cattle from farms where workers were allegedly kept in slavery-like conditions.
The civil case, filed Wednesday in a labor court in Pará state in northern Brazil, seeks nearly 119 million reais (about $24 million) in compensation.
Prosecutors say the amount reflects the value of cattle transactions between JBS and suppliers linked to the allegations.
According to the filing, 53 workers were rescued from rural properties owned by seven ranchers who supplied cattle to JBS between 2014 and 2025.
These ranchers were reportedly included in Brazil's official registry of employers found to have subjected workers to conditions similar to slavery.
Prosecutors said JBS showed "a systematic pattern of negligence" in its sourcing practices, ABC News reported. The company has not yet publicly responded to the lawsuit.
Brazilian labor prosecutors have filed lawsuits against five firms over labor abuses in their supply chains, with grain trader Cargill (CARG.UL) and meatpacker JBS among those targeted, they said in a statement on Wednesday. https://t.co/MezyX0zf7L
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Forced Labor Claims Put JBS Under Legal Scrutiny
Brazil is the world's largest beef producer, responsible for about 20% of global supply, recently surpassing the United States.
With such a large role in global food production, supply chains like JBS's are closely watched both inside and outside the country.
The labor prosecutors also highlighted that cattle ranching is the industry with the highest number of rescued workers in Brazil.
They added that it has also been a major cause of deforestation in the Amazon region, where Pará state is located.
This case adds to growing international attention on labor practices in Brazil. According to AP News, in March, the Office of the United States Trade Representative placed Brazil on a list of 60 countries under investigation for forced labor concerns.
JBS itself is the world's largest meatpacking company, valued at about $17 billion. It operates facilities around the world, including in the United States, where it has faced its own labor issues.
Earlier this year, workers at one of its plants in Colorado staged a three-week strike.
Originally published on vcpost.com
