Day 158 - 19 Jul 95 - Page 26
1 new frontier, some is cleared when ranchers complete the
2 deforestation begun by timber cutters or colonists", etc.
3
4 Then under (d) "Markets", at the bottom of the page: "Beef
5 cattle in Brazil are generally produced for the domestic
6 markets. They may be transported long distances by road."
7 Emphasise that. "While some are slaughtered and consumed
8 by small, local outlets, some of the Amazon's cattle are
9 trucked down to the large urban centres, such as Sao Paulo
10 and Rio de Janeiro. The meat is consumed both fresh and in
11 processed forms, and sold by outlets ranging from local
12 butchers to fast-food chains".
13
14 We would say that the evidence there will be that it is a
15 practice to truck down from the Amazon area within the
16 frontier to urban centres such as Sao Paulo where
17 McDonald's say they are based, their process plants are
18 based, and one of their supply centres; that that meat is
19 of the type that fast-food chains would use, is the effect
20 of that.
21
22 MR. RAMPTON: May I enquire where that evidence is to be found
23 in the Defendants' witness statements?
24
25 MR. MORRIS: I have just read it out.
26
27 MR. RAMPTON: About trucking cattle down?
28
29 MR. MORRIS: It is already admitted that in the Barretos case
30 cattle are trucked.
31
32 MR. RAMPTON: No, from the Amizonian Basin. I think I heard it
33 correctly.
34
35 MR. MORRIS: It is a question of reasonable belief, where this
36 is a common practice, McDonald's have been over 20 years in
37 purchasing beef or using beef raised in Brazil for the last
38 25 years, or something like that. It is our belief that
39 some of this would come from, as they have already said,
40 Mato Grosso and Goias, which both areas have been
41 deforested and have included rain forest.
42
43 MR. JUSTICE BELL: What is the evidence, if at all, as to when
44 there was first a McDonald's restaurant in Brazil?
45
46 MR. MORRIS: I cannot recall where it was. I am sure that is a
47 very simple fact. I think it is 1970, but maybe the
48 Plaintiffs would know. It is in one of the documents.
49
50 MR. JUSTICE BELL: See if you can dig that out during the
51 mid-day adjournment.
52
53 MR. MORRIS: I think the evidence of Costa Rica was 1970.
54 I thought somebody said that Brazil was the first. I might
55 have my recollection wrong but, on the other hand -----
56
57 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Leave it there for the moment but see if you
58 can dig it out in the mid-day adjournment or find what the
59 best information you say is.
60
