Brazilians didn’t have to wait long for the fireworks to begin once a proposed forestry-code revision arrived in Congress. The proposal, drafted by Brazil’s National Environmental Council (Conama), had the support of environmental groups because it retained restrictions aimed at limiting landowners’ ability to clear their property. But it also upset the National Farmers Confederation (CNA), a 5-million-member farming and ranching group that wants limits on land clearing relaxed. Soon after the legislation was introduced in Congress, it was altered dramatically by Congressman Moacir Micheletto, a CNA ally heading the congressional commission created to handle the proposal. The rewrite pleased the farm lobby and cleared the committee May 10 on a 10-3 vote. But environmental groups were enraged at the sudden dismantling... [Log in to read more]