Burger King, the company that sometimes thinks that crispy chicken is a vegetarian option, is now having to contend with a scathing report by environmental protection group Mighty Earth.
Entitled “The Ultimate Mystery Meat,” Mighty Earth investigated the impact of soy crops used to feed the animals that go into 11 million Whoppers, Crispy Chickens Jr., Bacon Kings, and other sandwiches every single day.
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Turns out that the global burger chain is flame-grilling more than just beef patties. According to the report, the company’s two main soy suppliers—Bunge and Cargill—are “systematically” burning tropical forests in Brazil and Bolivia, leading to the disappearance of more than 1.7 million acres of forest land between 2011 and 2015.
And it’s not just trees that are getting fucked up by Bunge and Cargill (who sound like crusty a detective team from the 70s). This alleged rampant deforestation is also having a devastating impact on sloths, jaguars, giant anteaters, and other species that rely on the rich ecosystem for survival.
By using aerial drones, Mighty Earth claims that they witnessed tractors “ripping up” the ancient savannah as well as soybean farmers using “systematic fires to burn the debris and clear the land—sending acrid smoke across the whole region.”
So, why target Burger King when so many other fast food chains rely on soy crops? Apparently, Burger King is the worst of the pack, scoring a big, fat zero on the Union of Concerned Scientists’ 2016 scorecard of major beef sellers’ deforestation profiles, way behind Wal-Mart, McDonald’s, and Wendy’s.
“Unlike many of its competitors, Burger King has repeatedly turned down requests from civil society organizations to commit to only buying from suppliers who don’t engage in destruction of forests, or to provide information about where its commodities originate,” the report states, going on to actually praise the golden arches. “McDonald’s has even shown leadership by committing to eliminate deforestation from its supply chains, and urging its suppliers to do the same.”
MUNCHIES has reached out to Burger King for comment but has not yet received a response.
