Learning Event summary
For nearly two decades, the Amazon Soy Moratorium (ASM) has brought the traders behind 90% of Amazon soy together around a shared commitment: no sourcing from recently deforested land in the Amazon biome. Research has shown it has been one of the most effective voluntary zero-deforestation commitments ever implemented – reducing deforestation by 35% across the broader, regional landscape. However, in early 2026, following mounting legal and political pressure, several highly influential traders withdrew from the soy pact, leaving its future deeply uncertain.
This 60-minute brownbag session is an opportunity to hear directly from researchers who have spent years studying the ASM and zero-deforestation commitments in Brazil’s soy sector.
Questions we will explore:
- What made the Amazon Soy Moratorium (ASM) so effective, and what role did the broader regulatory environment play?
- How far did the ASM’s effects reach and what does its weakening mean for nearby regions?
- What factors drove the weakening of trader commitments and ultimate exits?
- What does the pact’s weakening tell us about the direction of future voluntary zero deforestation commitments and policies?
- What is at stake now, and what would a credible path forward look like?
Speakers:
- Lisa Rausch, Associate Researcher – Lead for Brazil Research, Global Land Use and Environment Lab, University of Wisconsin
- Joyce Brandão, Research Associate, Forest-Focused Supply Chains in Brazil, Department of Geography, University of Cambridge
This session is open to all – from those coming to the topic for the first time to practitioners and policymakers already in this space. Come ready to listen, learn and engage.