- Image by food_in_mouth via Flickr
Two large shareholder groups withdrew a proposal that would have required McDonald’s to publish a report on options for cutting pesticide use in its supply chain. But McDonald’s, the largest buyer of potatoes in the U.S., agreed to “survey its U.S. potato suppliers, compile a list of best practices in pesticide use reduction and recommend those best practices to global suppliers. It also will share its findings with investors and include the findings in its annual corporate social responsibility report”.
Three of McDonald’s largest U.S. potato suppliers are ConAgra Foods, Lamb Weston, and J.R. Simplot Co.
“Because McDonald’s has such a commanding presence in the marketplace, this commitment offers the promise of significant reductions of pesticide use — which will benefit consumer health, as well as farm workers, local agricultural communities and the environment,” said Newground Social Investment Chief Executive Bruce Herbert, who is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Institute for Children’s Environmental Health.