NARA Blog
Welcome Dr. Charles Starkey!
As many in the rendering industry know, after more than 18 years at NARA and a lifetime in the animal agriculture industry, Dr. David Meeker has retired from his position as The Fats and Proteins Foundation (FPRF) Research Director, and NARA’s Senior Vice President of Scientific Services. Read the press release announcing Dr. Meeker’s retirement. NARA thanks Dr. Meeker for his time and dedication to the rendering industry, and though the farewell was bittersweet, NARA
2022 Don Franco Distinguished Service Award Winner
NARA is pleased to announce the 2022 “Don Franco Distinguished Service Award” has been presented to Dr. David Meeker for his leadership and longtime commitment to the rendering industry, NARA, and to the association’s research and related programs. The Don Franco Distinguished Service Award is NARA’s highest honor. It recognizes truly outstanding work on behalf of the rendering industry in science, policy, marketing, or communications and is presented to a member, staff, or friend of
60 Years of FPRF
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the Fats and Proteins Research Foundation (FPRF), the rendering industry’s research organization. The Fats and Proteins Research Foundation was originally hatched from a committee within the NARA (formerly the National Renderers Association), but it quickly became evident that a full time research foundation was necessary to represent the research needs of the rendering industry. So, 60 years ago, FRPF was established as a full-time effort devoted to research,
NARA Talks Sustainability at USDA's Food Loss and Waste Innovation Fair
Earlier this month, on September 14th, NARA’s Director of Communications, Anna Wilkinson joined other esteemed speakers from the agriculture, reduced food waste and sustainability industries for USDA’s 2nd Annual Virtual Food Loss and Waste Innovation Fair. In her presentation titled “Rendering: The Unsung Hero of Sustainability,” she detailed why the often-overlooked rendering industry is actually a major player in the reduction of food waste. She discussed rendering’s important role in not only food waste reduction
NARA Staff Visits Two Member Rendering Plants
Guest Post By NARA Staff Member, Heather Davis During a recent personal vacation NARA’s Coordinator of Member Relations, Heather Davis, took a detour to visit two nearby NARA member rendering plants; G.A. Wintzer & Son Co, and The Dupps Company headquarters and equipment manufacturing hub. Heather was later joined by NARA’s Senior Vice President of Scientific Services, Dr. David Meeker. We asked Heather to share her experience at both plant tours in a
NARA President Testifies on Rendering Sustainability Benefits at House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis
On July 15th, President, and CEO of the North American Renderers Association (NARA), Kent Swisher, testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Select Committee on the Climate Crisis on the sustainability benefits of rendering. Swisher was one of four witnesses testifying and the sole representative of the agriculture sector. He was joined by Dana Gunders, Executive Director, ReFED, Dr. Melinda Cep, Vice President for Natural Solutions and Working Lands, National Audubon Society, and Elly Brown,
Rendering's Sustainability Story Gets a Boost: Feature Article Published in 3 International Agriculture and Animal Nutrition Magazines
Rendering education continues to be a top priority at NARA. The more awareness there is about what rendering is and what we do, the more renderers and NARA members can showcase rendering’s important contributions to reduced food waste and sustainability as a whole. Agricultural rendering is an industry that has largely “flown under the radar” for many years, but we are now proudly sharing our sustainability story. Rendering is by definition sustainable as we are
Happy Hamburger Month!
According to who you ask, May is the National month of various beef products with Wikipedia listing 3 National days dedicated to the meat within the month including National Italian Beef Day, National Brisket Day and National Burger day (on May 27, 28 and 29th respectively), and many celebrate the entire month of May in honor of hamburgers. The hamburger: though a category all its own, it is arguably America’s favorite “sandwich” and certainly
Podcast: Biofuels & Renewable Diesel
In the 3rd episode of NARA’s quarterly podcast, The Invisible Industry, host Marcus Wintzer welcomes guest, Michael Rath, of Darling Ingredients, and episode co-host, Michael Karman, of Sanimax, to discuss biofuels & renewable diesel and rendering’s important role in these industries. We take a deep dive into the science behind these fuels, their benefits, why and how government involvement plays a role, and answer questions like “what exactly are biofuels” and “what is the difference
Dr. Meeker Receives Prestigious Tallow Master Award
NARA and FPRF’s Senior Vice President of Scientific Services, Dr. David Meeker, has been presented with the prestigious Tallow Master Award in appreciation of his distinguished service and outstanding contributions to the American rendering industry. The award was presented at the Pacific Coast Renderers Association annual meeting in Laguna Niguel, California, earlier this month. In his acceptance of the award, Meeker said, “Working for renderers has been the best job of my career.
