Major soy companies stay silent as eu’s groundbreaking anti-deforestation law looms

The European Union’s ambitious new Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) is set to reshape global commodity trading, requiring companies to prove their soy and other products don’t contribute to forest destruction. Under the law, any soy reaching EU markets must come from areas that weren’t deforested after 2020, and producers must demonstrate compliance with local environmental and human rights standards.

This represents a major challenge for the soy industry, which has been a leading driver of deforestation, particularly across South America’s critical ecosystems. Originally scheduled to begin in December 2024, the regulation has been delayed by one year, with European officials proposing additional grace periods to help companies prepare for the sweeping changes.

Despite the high stakes, the world’s largest soy traders—including agricultural giants ADM, Bunge, Cargill, AMAGGI, and COFCO International—have remained notably silent about their preparations. When contacted by environmental news outlet Mongabay, these companies either declined to comment or didn’t respond at all.

However, conservation experts suggest this silence doesn’t reflect unpreparedness. “The information we have is that they are 100% prepared,” said Tiago Reis, a conservation specialist with WWF-Brazil. He noted that some companies have even questioned the need for deadline extensions, having already invested significantly in compliance systems. This regulatory shift marks a pivotal moment in the global fight against deforestation, potentially forcing fundamental changes in how agricultural commodities are produced and traded worldwide.