USA: Oil Palm pyro-plantation makers see marketing power marginalized

America’s largest organic grocer has announced its products will no
longer use palm oil sourced from unsustainable producers, reports the
Rainforest Action Network (RAN), an activist group that has led a
campaign against destructive palm oil production. The move adds
pressure on the palm oil industry to develop an effective and credible
certification system for palm oil.

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“Whole Foods Market is concerned with the social and environmental  impacts of palm oil production in tropical rainforest ecosystems around the world,” Whole Foods said in a statement.

“Whole Foods is committed to protecting rainforests, communities and our global climate, and therefore Whole Foods has partnered with the Institute for Marketecology (IMO), a highly regarded international certification agency whose social responsibility and fair trade certification program requires successful implementation of environmental, social responsibility, and sustainability practices on the land and within the company’s organization.”

Rainforest Action Network Welcomed the decision: “With the statement on their website, Whole Foods Market is sending a clear signal that they do not want to be associated with the destruction of rainforests due to the expansion of oil palm plantations,” said Leila Salazar-Lopez, director of RAN’s Rainforest Agribusiness Campaign. “We applaud Whole Foods for their leadership and urge other companies and palm oil suppliers to add their voices to this call for change in the U.S. palm oil supply chain.”

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http://news.mongabay.com/2009/0224-whole_foods_palm_oil.html