New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced a $1.1 million settlement with JBS USA Food Company and JBS USA Food Company Holdings (JBS USA), the American subsidiary of the JBS Group, the world’s largest producer of beef products, for allegedly misleading the public about its commitment to reducing its carbon footprint. Attorney General James sued JBS USA in 2024, after an Office of the Attorney General (OAG) investigation revealed that it was advertising that the JBS Group would reach “net zero” greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, despite having no plan to actually achieve it. Under the settlement, JBS USA will pay $1.1 million to support climate-smart agriculture programs that help New York farmers adopt best practices to reduce emissions, increase resiliency, and enhance productivity. JBS USA has also agreed to reform its environmental marketing practices and report annually to OAG for three years.
“New Yorkers deserve the truth when it comes to the environmental impact of the products they buy,” said Attorney General James. “JBS USA made sweeping promises about its parent company’s climate impacts despite the company having no real plan to back those promises up. My office will always hold companies accountable when they mislead New Yorkers and harm our planet.”