Greenpeace challenges JBS over planned $5 billion Southeast Asia expansion

JBS, the world’s largest meat processor, is moving to establish a US$5 billion joint venture with Indonesia’s sovereign wealth fund, Danantara, to expand industrial meat production across Southeast Asia. Greenpeace Netherlands has initiated legal action in the Netherlands, where JBS maintains its corporate headquarters, aiming to block the expansion due to concerns over potential deforestation, methane emissions, and impacts on Indigenous lands.

The Proposed US$5 Billion Expansion

The joint venture intends to combine JBS’s existing operations in Australia and New Zealand with capital from Danantara, Indonesia’s newly created sovereign wealth fund. The plan focuses on scaling up multi-protein production, including beef, poultry, and potentially aquaculture, through acquisitions and new infrastructure projects across the region. JBS, which processes tens of thousands of cattle and pigs daily, faces scrutiny over its supply chain history, as Greenpeace Nordic estimates the company’s global operations generate more methane emissions than major fossil fuel producers like Shell and ExxonMobil.

Environmental Risks in Papua

The expansion plans coincide with the Indonesian government’s controversial Food and Energy Estate program. While official government documents have not explicitly named JBS as a partner in the Papua-based project, the involvement of the Danantara wealth fund—which oversees state enterprises linked to the estate—has drawn criticism from environmental groups. A 2025 Greenpeace Indonesia report calculated that clearing 560,000 hectares for planned sugarcane plantations in South Papua would release 221 million tonnes of CO₂. Local Indigenous communities and Greenpeace Indonesia have raised concerns that such industrial land clearing threatens ancestral forests, water sources, and biodiversity, while increasing risks of flooding and forest fires.

Precedents in Australian Cattle Ranching

JBS’s current influence in Australia serves as a point of contention for environmental monitors. The Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) has reported that agricultural land clearing in Australia currently outpaces palm oil-related deforestation in Indonesia. Native forests are frequently cleared to create cattle pastures, a process that destroys habitats for species such as koalas and impacts the health of the Great Barrier Reef. With approximately three-quarters of Australian live cattle exported to Indonesia, critics argue that the new joint venture represents an extension of an industrial model that has already faced significant environmental and regulatory backlash.

Legal Challenges in the Netherlands

Greenpeace Netherlands is challenging the expansion in Dutch courts, citing the company’s history of links to illegal deforestation and alleged labour rights violations. The legal strategy aims to hold the company accountable at its corporate headquarters for the environmental consequences of its global growth. As of early 2025, the Indonesian government has indicated it will halt clearing forests for rice fields, citing local resistance, though it has not confirmed the cancellation of all projects within the broader food estate initiative.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the primary goal of the legal action against JBS?
Greenpeace Netherlands is seeking to block JBS’s expansion into Southeast Asia, arguing that the company’s business model is inherently linked to large-scale deforestation, significant methane emissions, and human rights abuses that would be exacerbated by the new US$5 billion joint venture.

How does the Indonesian Food and Energy Estate affect Indigenous lands?
The program involves clearing large tracts of land for industrial agriculture, such as sugar, rice, and cattle ranching. Indigenous communities in regions like South Papua have reported intimidation and pressure as their ancestral forests and wetlands are repurposed for these mega-farms.

What is the connection between JBS and Australian deforestation?
JBS is the largest beef processor in Australia. Reports from the Australian Conservation Foundation indicate that the industry’s demand for pasture has led to extensive clearing of native forests, impacting local wildlife habitats and contributing to environmental degradation in the Great Barrier Reef region.

More on Southeast Asia: How the ASEAN Power Grid Could End Southeast Asia's Fossil Fuel Dependency