I wonder what the powers that be at McDonalds are making of our recent expose on Fonterra’s role in rainforest destruction in Indonesia and Malaysia.
According to yesterday’s Herald, Fonterra supplies a quarter of McDonalds’ dairy needs.
Fonterra’s image has been tainted of late. A quarter of the world’s palm kernel animal feed comes into New Zealand and the majority of this goes to feed Fonterra’s ever increasing dairy herd. This palm kernel feed is a product of the destructive palm industry – an industry responsible for rainforest destruction, loss of rare and endangered species, social conflicts over community lands and the spewing of billions of tonnes of carbon into the atmosphere.
Plus, according to the Sunday Star Times, a nasty toxin has been found in palm kernel – apparently a toxin that can be present in our dairy products.
In 2006 McDonalds received an international roasting over its links to rainforest destruction in Brazil – one which it quickly distanced itself from.
Earlier this year McDonalds Europe president Denis Hennequin said the company wanted to ensure its actions were helping to protect the Amazon rainforest.
“The moratorium (a ban on buying soya linked to Amazon destruction) has been a positive step in helping us control and monitor the soya used in our supply chain and we will continue to participate in efforts to stop deforestation in the Amazon."
Well McDonalds, isn’t it about time you took a harder look at one of your major dairy suppliers and asked them to stop using destructive palm kernel animal feed?