Amid the global, widespread loss of tropical rainforest from palm oil plantations, eight large palm-oil companies from Colombia, Brazil and Papua New Guinea have banded together to curb forest clearing and reduce carbon emissions. The newly formed association, known as the Palm Oil Innovation Group (POIG), unveiled a set of standards Nov. 12-14 at the 11th annual Roundtable Meeting on Sustainable Palm Oil in Medan, Indonesia. They include, among other innovations, an end to all clearing of forests and peatlands, a guarantee of food security for palm-plantation neighbors and a reduction of greenhouse-gas emissions in milling and other farm operations. “We are a small group sending a signal to the market that production can be done with more exacting principles and criteria... [Log in to read more]