Reuters reported May 23, 2018, that the Brazilian government environmental agency Ibama and federal prosecutors have fined Bunge (BG), Cargill, ABC Indústria e Comércio SA, JJ Samar Agronegócios Eireli, and Uniggel Proteção de Plantas USD 6.7 million, collectively. The fine was for deforestation-related activities and land clearing in the Matopiba region - comprising Maranhão, Tocantins, Piauà and Bahia states - in Brazil's Cerrado. The fines arose because the five traders allegedly purchased 3,000 metric tons of soy and other products from areas illegally deforested and protected under Brazilian law. Ibama stated that "during the investigation