Day 068 - 16 Dec 94 - Page 28
1 follow those requirements, that definition.
2
3 Q. Can you name the regions that you will not accept beef
4 from, to be sure that you are not contributing to
5 rainforest destruction?
6 A. No, I cannot name them. I am not the person that is
7 heavily involved in that area of the rainforest. Mr. Ray
8 Cesca is the one who flies on an aeroplane, meets with the
9 Minister of Agriculture and ecologists, draws those plans,
10 makes these agreements, determines the area, draws the
11 plans, and agrees on the number of farms that will and can
12 supply. My job is to know and verify that those plants are
13 the ones that we use and only those that we identify.
14
15 Q. So, again, how do you know on the ground -- never mind what
16 is told to you verbally -- that the beef suppliers are
17 complying with your restrictions in terms of sources?
18 A. As I mentioned before, the animal comes with a tag;
19 with that tag, we know the origin of that animal, the
20 origin of that particular farm. The area, that Costa Rica
21 beef cattle area, the commercial area, it is located in the
22 dry forest. It is rainforest or the area that people make
23 allegations about beef cattle; it is primarily, or consists
24 primarily of local people that are in very poor economic
25 conditions. Those people, or that particular type of
26 cattle, it is a very small proportion of Costa Rica, and
27 they do not play major role in the supply of cattle for
28 Costa Rica. The cattle area is very strong and supplies
29 all of the needs for Costa Rica, for the major markets.
30
31 Q. Have you seen the records that document ---
32 A. Yes.
33
34 Q. -- the farms of origin? How long do those records go back
35 for, that you have seen?
36 A. Those records identify what animals, the location of
37 the farm, the animals. They write the records, and they
38 put it on a form so that people at the slaughterhouses are
39 writing all those records.
40
41 Q. How long do those records go back for, that you have seen,
42 so it is from your own knowledge that you are saying?
43 A. A few months.
44
45 Q. A few months?
46 A. Yes. I have seen records for several months.
47 Sometimes I ask, let us say, they keep records of our local
48 people in Costa Rica, for example, to keep records of some
49 indications that will give us an idea of the farm. When
50 I visit a particular supplier, I get a better indication of
51 what has happened. So, I would see things like that. You
52 have to see if this is consistent, if this is what I am
53 looking for.
54
55 Q. The McDonald's offices, themselves, have records ---
56 A. I have seen them.
57
58 Q. -- to verify?
59 A. Yes. To how far do they go?
60
