Forests Newsroom

War of words between Greenpeace, Asia Pulp & Paper over deforestation allegations

Greenpeace and Asia Pulp & Paper (APP), a giant global paper supplier, are locked in a heated battle over the activist group's allegations that APP products contain fiber sourced from the destruction of forests in Indonesia. At stake is APP’s access to some of the world's most lucrative markets.

After losing several high profile customers in recent months due to the Greenpeace campaign, APP earlier this month fired back at Greenpeace in a press release that accused the activist group of making "false allegations."

War of words between Greenpeace, Asia Pulp & Paper over deforestation allegations
mongabay.com
Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Cargill: Inside the quiet giant that rules the food business

FORTUNE -- Greg Page's only misgiving about the job offer he received from Cargill in 1974 was that it was from Cargill. He had grown up in tiny Bottineau, N.D., six miles from the Canadian border. His dad was the local John Deere dealer, who also owned an 800-acre hobby farm with 40 cows. "Cargill has historically had probably mixed sentiments about it out on the prairie," says Page. "That's who you sold your grain to." Farmers knew that if they didn't keep their wits about them, they might well get squeezed by the food giant. You knew to "keep a weather eye out," he says.

Cargill: Inside the quiet giant that rules the food business
CNNMoney
Thursday, October 27, 2011

Worst Food Additive Ever? It's in Half of All Foods We Eat and Its Production Destroys Rainforests and Enslaves Children

On August 10, police and security for the massive palm oil corporation Wilmar International (of which Archer Daniels Midland is the second largest shareholder) stormed a small, indigenous village on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. They came with bulldozers and guns, destroying up to 70 homes, evicting 82 families, and arresting 18 people. Then they blockaded the village, keeping the villagers in -- and journalists out.

Worst Food Additive Ever? It's in Half of All Foods We Eat and Its Production Destroys Rainforests and Enslaves Children
AlterNet
Monday, October 24, 2011

Girl Scouts to reduce use of palm oil in cookies after two Juniors start campaign

Two Girl Scouts have earned their merit badge in effecting social change.

Madison Vorva, 16, and Rhiannon Tomtishen, 15, of Michigan started a campaign five years ago urging the Girl Scouts of America to stop using palm oil in its cookies, the Wall Street Journal reports. Now, the company will tell bakers to use as little of the oil as possible, purchase GreenPalm certificates and will try to switch to sustainable oil by 2015.

Girl Scouts to reduce use of palm oil in cookies after two Juniors start campaign
The Washington Post
Friday, September 30, 2011

Girl Scouts pledge to limit palm-oil use in cookies

A five-year campaign by two Michigan girls to make Girl Scout cookies more environmentally friendly has prompted the youth organization to curb the use of palm oil in its iconic baked goods.

Girl Scouts of the USA isn't eliminating the ingredient, but it says that beginning with the 2012-13 cookie season, each box will include a GreenPalm logo as a symbol of Girl Scouts' commitment to address concerns about the deforestation of sensitive lands caused by production of palm oil.

Girl Scouts pledge to limit palm-oil use in cookies
msnbc
Thursday, September 29, 2011

Girl Scouts Activists, Rainforest Action Network and Union of Concerned Scientists Respond to Palm Oil Cookie Announcement by Girl Scouts USA

Release Date: 
Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Contact:
Laurel Sutherlin 415.246.0161 laurel@ran.org

Rhiannon Tomtishen and Madison Vorva, the two Girl Scouts that have been leading the effort to make Girl Scout cookies deforestation free, issued the following statement in reaction to Girl Scouts USA announcement that it will purchase Green Palm certificates and work towards the use of RSPO-certified palm oil by 2015, as well as work to reduce the amount of palm oil used in its cookies. They are available for interviews. 

Cargill tied to violence in Sumatra?

Security forces used by a palm oil supplier to Cargill are using violence and intimidation against villagers in Indonesia, the Rainforest Action Network claims.

The Rainforest Action Network accused palm oil supplier Wilmar of using armed violence against villagers in Sumatra. Heavy machinery, the advocacy group adds, is used by Wilmar to destroy area homes as well.

Lindsey Allen, forest program director at the group, said agricultural trading giant Cargill needs to adopt "crucial" safeguards on its supply chains.

Cargill tied to violence in Sumatra?
United Press International
Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Cargill Sets Sustainable Goals for Palm Oil, But Are They Too Little, Too Late?

Agribusiness giant Cargill has announced plans to offer only sustainably-certified palm oil by 2015 for certain countries, including the U.S., and by 2020 worldwide. On the surface, that sounds like a positive step forward, but on closer look, it seems like just another empty PR move.

Cargill Sets Sustainable Goals for Palm Oil, But Are They Too Little, Too Late?
Treehugger
Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Cargill Supplier Linked to Violence and Home Demolition in Indonesia

Release Date: 
Monday, August 29, 2011

 

CONTACT:

Laurel Sutherlin, 415.246.0161 laurel@ran.org

Rivani Noor, +62 816 320 5344 rivani@cappa.or.id

RAN Documents Test Case for Indonesia’s Late Breaking Forest Policy

Release Date: 
Thursday, July 14, 2011

Yesterday, a day after Indonesian Presidential advisor Kuntoro announced a potentially major shift in forest management policy, Rainforest Action Network (RAN) staff documented a test case for the government’s plans in the remote village of Muara Merang, in the Province of South Sumatra. The Indonesian government’s announcement includes the new allocation of 89,000 hectares for community-managed forest areas, a designation known as Hutan Desa.

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