Top British and European retailers including Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Lidl, Aldi, Morrisons, Marks & Spencer, and the Co-op have called on major soy traders to uphold key parts of the now-collapsed Amazon soy moratorium. The 20-year agreement, vital for protecting the rainforest, was abandoned by Brazilian lawmakers and soy traders like Cargill, Bunge, Louis Dreyfuss, and Cofco. These traders are part of the Brazilian soy producers’ group Abiove, which recently removed its name from the official moratorium website. In an open letter, retailers warn that the breakdown will harm consumer trust unless strong new measures stop soy linked to deforestation. The moratorium stopped sourcing soy from Amazon lands cleared after 2008, helping prevent 17,000 sq km of forest loss. "We are deeply disappointed to see that Abiove, and your company, has now voluntarily withdrawn from the moratorium. Stepping back risks weakening existing deterrents to deforestation," the letter said. The moratorium faced strong challenges from Brazil’s agribusiness lobby, especially in Mato Grosso state, where lawmakers removed tax benefits for companies in the agreement. Brazil also threatened penalties for traders sharing sensitive information under the moratorium. Without the moratorium, there is a risk of a free-for-all in the Amazon, potentially opening an area as large as Portugal to deforestation. Retailers say they will keep using the moratorium’s 2008 cutoff for sourcing. Will Schreiber, director at the Retail Soy Group, said, "There needs to be some sort of agreement. We need credible action to avoid fragmentation. If there are just guidelines, some soy producers will make money from destruction." Major traders like Cargill and Bunge say they have their sustainable policies but differ on standards. Reports suggest some traders have already loosened their deforestation rules. Conservation groups like WWF and Greenpeace fear land speculators are moving into the Amazon, betting the cutoff date will be changed, sparking more forest destruction.