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CC BY 2.0 crustmania

One of the largest agricultural companies in the world has pledged to extend its zero deforestation commitments from just the palm oil sector to its entire supply chain.

During the United Nations Climate Summit earlier this week, Cargill CEO David MacLennan announced that not only would the company commit to a palm oil policy that states “No Deforestation, No Peat, No Exploitation”, but that it would extend that zero deforestation policy to the other commodities it produces, including soy, beef, sugar, and cocoa, saying, “it is the right thing to do.”

“Recently, we announced a new policy, committing to zero deforestation in the palm oil trade. Now, we understand that this sort of commitment cannot be limited to just select commodities or supply chains. That’s why I am proud to announce today that Cargill will take practical measures to protect forests across our agricultural supply chains around the world.” – David MacLennan, Cargill CEO

The agribusiness giant, which is the largest privately held company in the US, is responsible for over $134 billion in annual sales of agricultural commodities, and this move could signal a sea change in how other large agricultural entities move forward in their sustainability initiatives.