NARA Blog
3 Cheers for Doggos! Celebrating National Dog Day 2021
National Dog Day is observed every year on August 26th, and if you are a pet parent to a pooch, we know you appreciate your furry friend 365 days of the year! But we like to recognize National Dog Day to remind you that the pet food you feed your fur babies is safe, healthy, and sustainable thanks to rendering. Rendered protein meals, derived from the rendering process, are a vital ingredient in safe pet
From Fries to Fuel
July 13th is National French Fry day, and that makes us hungry…but it also makes us think of renewable fuels. Why you ask? Well, the used cooking oil (UCO) that these popular (and all too crave-able) morsels are fried in is actually vital to the renewable fuel and biomass-based diesel industries. Renderers pick up UCO from restaurants and much of it (along with rendered animal fat) is used to produce sustainable biomass-based diesel – namely
We Interviewed Dr. Kevin Finneran on his ACREC Funded Work
Director of Communications for NARA and FPRF (the Fats and Proteins Research Foundation), Anna Wilkinson, recently had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Kevin Finneran, a recipient of one of 6 projects selected for this year’s funding at the Animal Co-Products Research & Education Center (ACREC). ACREC is a joint project with Clemson University and FPRF with the mission to: Ensure microbial safety of rendered products for animal feeds and consumer protection Promote environmentally
Newly Published Peer Reviewed Article Spotlights Rendering’s Sustainability
We are excited to announce a newly published peer reviewed article, How Agricultural Rendering Supports Sustainability and Assists Livestock’s Ability to Contribute More Than Just Food, in the animal science journal, Animal Frontiers; Volume 11, issue 2. The journal article covers the sustainability of agricultural rendering by outlining its benefits for each of the three pillars of sustainability (Environmental, Social and Economic). Additionally, the article discusses the many ways that rendered products surround us every
Rendering (really) is Recycling
If you follow NARA on social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn) or have visited our website before, you may recognize the phrase “Rendering is Recycling”. In honor of Earth Month, we’re exploring what that means, and why spreading the word on the sustainability benefits of rendering is paving the way to a ‘greener’ future. Rendering probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when you think of recycling (or even sustainability for that matter) because
National Puppy Day & NARA II Update
March 23rd was National Puppy Day, so we thought there was no better topic for our March blog than to update everyone on our CCI puppy, Nara II, and showcase the amazing work that NARA’s partner, Canine Companions for Independence (CCI), is doing. Canine Companions for Independence is a non-profit organization that pairs canine assistance animals with children, adults, and veterans in need. Learn more about the important work CCI is doing by providing service
NARA.org Website Tour
Are you interested in learning more about rendering and how it’s connected to sustainability, reduced food waste and biofuels? Are you in the rendering industry and looking for news and information about the industry, or want to learn more about the North American Renderers Association? Recently our website got a big makeover, and in today’s blog we want to give you a tour of NARA.org and go over some pages you may find
Looking Ahead
2020 is finally in the books and we at NARA are looking forward to many exciting new developments and projects to serve our members, spread the word on rendering’s sustainability, and continue representing rendering in global markets. NARA’s staff is made up of 6 individuals and several consultants who support our seven programs: scientific services, the APPI program, international market development, legislative advocacy, communications, membership, and meetings. Below is a snapshot of what’s
2020: Looking Back on the Positives
Despite the devastating and challenging COVD-19 events of 2020, we are looking ahead to a bright New Year. However, in 2020 some unexpected positives shone through in the rendering industry. NARA recognizes and celebrates the helpful, talented, and flexible creativity that helped achieve them. In spring 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic reached its first peak and the U.S. began shutting down, the rendering industry joined forces with other national agricultural organizations to advocate that rendering
Thankful for Rendering’s Sustainable Contributions (All Around Us)
For those who celebrate the holiday season this year, it’s bound to be different. Whether you enjoy Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas, and even the Winter Solstice, it’s traditionally a time to gather with family and friends. COVID-19 has transformed celebrations for many of us by affecting who we spend time with and what we can do. This year has been challenging for all of us in some way or another, to be sure. Perhaps you
