Palm Done Right

By: Jordan Zeman

When daily business is conducted without concern for people, animals and environment, corporations can have a destructive and lasting effect on life as we know it. It’s imperative that corporations face these less than glamourous issues and provide transparency to consumers. Speaking of consumers, we have a giant role to play in this as well. Make your vision for the world known in a mighty way by voting with your dollar at every checkout. We are grateful to organizations like Palm Done Right (PDR) who are spearheading a better way forward in an industry where exploitation is common. PDR is an educational platform on a mission to share with the world that there is a sustainable solution to palm oil that brings prosperity to farming communities and a conflict free, healthier product to retailers worldwide. Palm Done Right partners with farmers to produce palm oil that is 100% organic, deforestation free, wildlife friendly, and fair.

How is the PDR process different?

Fresh fruit bunches ripen in 20 weeks, with the amount of oil from the yield increasing by 200 fold in the last week, meaning farmers need to monitor daily for ripe fruit. When the fruit is ripe, workers harvest by hand and cart the fruit to the nearest mill, usually via donkey. 1.When the fresh fruit bunches reach the mill, they are transferred to a large container with pressurized steam which deactivates the enzyme that causes the oil to go rancid, and loosens the fruit from the bunch. 2.Next, the bunches go into a large drum tumbler. The fruit falls through openings in the container, and the empty bunches are recycled as compost. 3.The fruit then goes into a low-speed steam “digester” press that loosens the oil from the pulp, and then into a hydraulic press. At that point, the liquid is a mixture of oil, water, fiber and kernels. 4.That mixture goes onto a vibrating screen to separate out the solids. Of the solids, kernels are gathered for a separate pressing, and the fiber is recycled as fuel for the steamers. 5.The liquid goes to a clarifying tank that uses centrifugal force to separate water from oil.

Where does palm oil come from?

Oil palms are unique plants. They produce palm fruits for up to 40 years, which makes them less of a burden on the soil than annual crops that are replanted year after year,and they bear fruit year round, which means a steady source of income for small farmers. Palm Done Right farmers nurture the soil with organic methods like cover crops that fix nitrogen in the soil naturally, mulching and application of compost, which also increases palm fruit yields. Many PDR palms are grown in small plots, surrounded by complementary crops and plenty of space allowing native plants and animals to thrive in the shared environment. Did you know, palm oil is the highest-yielding vegetable oil on the planet? One

hectare of land produces 3.8 tons annually. Conventional palm has made headlines in the past for the destruction it brings to communities and to the land. Interestingly, the best habitats for palm oil cultivation are also some of the poorest regions in the world which leaves farmers vulnerable to exploitation. Palm oil cultivation in these communities can either be life-giving and profitable or destructive in nearly every way. PDR combines the powerful knowledge of indigenous communities and professional agronomists to ensure growth for many years to come while ensuring that farmers are paid a premium for the palm oil they produce.

You Can Help

Without most of us knowing about it, palm oil has become a part of our lives. It is an ingredient in many of the products you use regularly throughout the day. By making the right choices with the money you spend on household essentials and food you have an opportunity to determine what our future will look like. Choose to support brands that are doing things right! Look for the Palm Done Right logo on brands such as Dr. Bronners, Nutiva, Jovial, Mary’s Gone Crackers, Pacha Soaps, Williamette Valley Pies, and Quinn Snacks. We look at movements like Palm Done Right as a reminder that there are organizations out there that are working hard to create a better way forward.