An important initiative in the area of sustainable soy is the Amazon Moratorium. In June 2006, Brazilian soy processors and traders, in consultation with the European soy industry and societal organizations such as Greenpeace, decided that for a minimum period of two years they would not purchase any soybeans cultivated on land in the Amazonian rainforest that had been subjected to deforestation after 24 July 2006. 

The interim period will now be used by a working group of societal organizations and companies in the soy industry to map out the protected areas thoroughly, to set up an adequate monitoring system and to work out arrangements for land use in the Amazon area. In July 2007, the working group, in which all the major Brazilian soy processors and exporters and a large group of NGOs including the World Wide Fund for Nature, Conservation International and Greenpeace are represented, drew up a progress report containing the results achieved in the first year of the moratorium and a plan of action for the second year. The report is to be found hereunder.

For more information about the Amazon Moratorium:

• Announcement on Soy Moratorium (ABIOVE, ANEC)