Letter to IFC: MHP, Ukraine (September 2023)

In September 2023, we expressed concerns to the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in relation to a proposed loan of up to USD 30 million to a subsidiary of Ukrainian poultry giant MHP, for the upgrade and expansion of a manure-to-energy plant.

We detail risks including methane leakages’ the unaddressed problem of nutrient pollution; and the potential negative impact of high antimicrobial usage on anaerobic digestion efficiency, adding to existing concerns about antimicrobial resistance.

At the same time, MHP operations are currently the subject of ongoing process with the IFC The Compliance Advisor Ombudsman (CAO) and The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Independent Project Accountability Mechanism (IPAM) , which raises additional concerns about the company’s conduct and ability to sufficiently monitor and mitigate the adverse impacts of its operations.

We urge IFC to rethink its continued support of intensive animal agriculture operations, and invest instead in supporting better systems.