Oxfam Asks Top Food Companies for More Accountability in Reducing GHG Emissions

Humanitarian group Oxfam America is launching a campaign today to get two of the country's largest food companies to do something about their greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture.

The American branch of Oxfam, an international confederation of 17 organizations working to reduce poverty in more than 90 countries, is calling on Kellogg Co. and General Mills Inc., to account for emissions like methane from livestock raising, nitrous oxide from fertilizer use and carbon dioxide released when forests are cleared to make way for crops.

"We think the companies really need to be addressing these issues far more holistically and taking more ownership," said Heather Coleman, climate change manager at Oxfam America.

Oxfam has released a report to coincide with the campaign, in which the organization calls the top 10 food companies -- Associated British Foods PLC (ABF), Coca-Cola Co., Danone, General Mills, Kellogg, Mars Inc., Mondelez International, Nestle SA, PepsiCo Inc. and Unilever NV -- "silent accomplices" to the acceleration of climate change.

Oxfam Asks Top Food Companies for More Accountability in Reducing GHG Emissions