April 23, 2025 – The SEC has greenlit JBS for listing on the New York Stock Exchange, setting the stage for a shareholder vote on May 23. It’s a major win for the Brazilian meat giant—and a slap in the face to the watchdogs who’ve been circling for over a year.
JBS, the world’s largest meatpacker, has been tangled in allegations ranging from bribery to environmental degradation.
Critics argue the SEC’s sign-off sidesteps unresolved concerns, including accusations that JBS misled investors about its climate impact.
Yale Law scholar Laura Fox didn’t mince words, warning that unchecked corporate greenwashing could “fuel climate destruction and ecological harm.” The SEC, for its part, stayed mum, citing policy against commenting on individual filings.
The timing couldn’t be more charged. Just days earlier, filings revealed that Pilgrim’s Pride—JBS’s U.S. chicken arm—donated $5 million to Donald Trump’s 2017 inauguration, making it the top contributor.
Glenn Hurowitz of Mighty Earth called it a “blatant attempt to buy political favor,” highlighting that the donation dwarfed those of Silicon Valley giants and suggested regulatory leniency came at a cost.
The pattern is becoming clearer. A report by Public Citizen identified 58 Trump inauguration donors facing federal probes—including Pilgrim’s Pride.
Meanwhile, JBS paid $256 million in 2020 to settle U.S. charges tied to a bribery scheme. Yet in a turn of irony, Trump’s USDA later awarded the company $78 million in farmer bailout funds.
As the vote nears, the JBS saga is shaping up to be more than a listing—it’s a referendum on corporate accountability, political influence, and the price of doing business in America.
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