Friends of the Earth International statement

Friends of the Earth International rejects the Roundtable on Responsible Soy (RTRS), claiming it provides a "façade of sustainability" for agribusinesses and energy companies while failing to address the systemic impacts of industrial soy. The document highlights how soy expansion leads to deforestation, biodiversity loss, human rights violations, and increased food insecurity. It specifically criticizes the promotion of genetically modified (GM) soy, noting substantial increases in herbicide use in Brazil and the United States. The statement argues that the RTRS ignores indirect regional and global impacts, such as the displacement of agriculture into primary forests and the pollution caused by intensive livestock production in Europe. To address these issues, the organization calls for structural land reforms, reduced global demand for meat and dairy, and an end to large-scale agrofuel production.

• Industrial soy monocultures cause severe environmental and social degradation, including the conversion of forests and savannahs, loss of biodiversity, and human rights violations such as the poisoning and expulsion of rural communities and indigenous peoples.
• The use of genetically modified (GM) soy has led to a significant increase in pesticide application; specifically, the use of the herbicide RoundUp (glyphosate) rose by nearly 80% in Brazil between 2000 and 2005 and 15-fold in the United States between 1994 and 2005.
• The RTRS is characterized as a "false solution" and a form of "greenwash" because it ignores indirect impacts—such as global warming and rising food prices—and is controlled by the same agribusinesses and financial institutions that profit from soy expansion.
• Global demand for soy is expected to increase due to the growth of the meat and dairy sectors—with the FAO predicting demand for these products will double by 2050—and the pursuit of large-scale agrofuel production in the EU, USA, and Brazil.

APA

Friends of the Earth International (2008). Friends of the Earth International statement. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/FoEI-RTRS.pdf

Chicago

Friends of the Earth International. Friends of the Earth International statement. 2008. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/FoEI-RTRS.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Friends of the Earth International |title=Friends of the Earth International statement |date=22 April 2008 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/FoEI-RTRS.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{friendsoftheearthinternational2008friends, author = {{Friends of the Earth International}}, title = {{Friends of the Earth International statement}}, publisher = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2008}, month = apr, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/FoEI-RTRS.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }