General Mills, maker of Hamburger Helper, Betty Crocker, and some of our favorite breakfast cereals has decided to end its relationship with Indonesian-based palm oil maker PT Sinar Mas Agro Resources and Technologies because of concerns that the company’s practices perpetuate rain forest devastation.
Palm oil is used in everything from cereal to makeup and bio diesel fuel. The two biggest producers of palm oil are Indonesia and Malaysia. The issue of rainforest destruction in both nations has been a hot button environmental issue in recent years as it not only destroys massive areas of land, but further endangers native species like orangutans.
General Mills announced their decision on their website saying, “We are concerned about the role of palm oil expansion in the deforestation of the world’s rain forests.”
Rain Forest Action Network praised the move hoping it would “serve as a wakeup call for others in the food industry.”
Other US companies like Burger King, Kraft, Nestle, and Unilever are planning similar policy shifts.
