US senators have 'deep concerns' over JBS New York listing plans

By Leah Douglas

WASHINGTON, Jan 12 (Reuters) - The New York share listing of Brazilian meat company JBS SA would expose investors to risk and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission should closely scrutinize the company's criminal and environmental track record, a bipartisan group of senators said in a letter to the agency on Thursday.

JBS, the world's largest meat packer, in July revived a decade-plus-long effort to list its shares on the New York Stock Exchange in hopes of accessing cheaper capital and more investors.

Its earlier attempt was delayed in part by a 2017 Brazilian bribery scandal. In 2020, the SEC fined JBS $27 million to resolve other bribery charges related to its 2009 acquisition of Pilgrim's Pride, another top U.S. meat company.

Those events, plus allegations by environmental activists that the company's cattle sourcing practices contribute to Amazon deforestation, present "deep concerns" about the potential listing, said the 15 senators, who include Democrats Elizabeth Warren and Cory Booker, and Republicans Marco Rubio and Josh Hawley.

"Approval of JBS' proposed listing would subject U.S. investors to risk from a company with a history of blatant, systemic corruption, and further entrench its monopoly power and embolden its monopoly practices," they wrote in the letter first reported by Reuters.

JBS did not immediately respond to a request for comment but has said the listing will "enhance its corporate governance and transparency."

The SEC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

JBS is one of the United States' four largest meat companies which together slaughter about 85% of U.S. grain-fattened cattle.

Environmental groups have urged the SEC to deny JBS's listing on the grounds that the company's cattle purchasing practices encourage deforestation of the Amazon rainforest.

An October report by Brazilian federal prosecutors found that about 6% of the company's cattle was bought from ranches with "irregularities" like illegal deforestation, down from 17% the year prior. JBS has said that it has fixed prior issues with its sourcing practices.

Before JBS can present its listing deal for shareholder approval, the SEC must determine that its offering complies with U.S. regulations.

(Reporting by Leah Douglas in Washington Editing by Matthew Lewis)