Updated

Greenpeace is accusing the world's biggest meatpacker of breaking a pledge it made to protect Brazil's shrinking Amazon rainforest.

A report Wednesday by the group says Sao Paulo-based JBS SA is still buying cattle from ranches in illegally deforested areas. It says the accusations are based on field research and information from Brazil's environmental protection agency.

Greenpeace-brokered an agreement three years ago with JBS and other producers. The companies said they wouldn't buy meat from suppliers engaged in practices that lead to illegal deforestation.

Brazil's government says the spread of cattle ranching in the Amazon is one of the biggest causes of rainforest destruction. The ranchers clear trees to create pastures.

JBS has issued an emailed statement denying the accusations. It says the Greenpeace report contains "false, misleading, incorrect" information.