Taking a Deep Dive Into the World of Aquaculture

In the latest episode of NARA’s rendering podcast, The Invisible Industry, we take a deep dive into the world of aquaculture, a topic often discussed in rendering but explored in-depth on the podcast only now for the first time. Host Marcus Wintzer is joined by Dr. George Chamberlain, President of the Center for Responsible Seafood, who shares his extensive knowledge of the aquaculture industry. The discussion starts with the basics of the industry, offering insights

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Celebrating National Junk Food Day: From French Fries to Biofuel and Beyond

July 21st is National Junk Food Day and that is the perfect excuse to indulge in our favorite guilty pleasures, from crispy fries to juicy burgers. But while we’re enjoying these treats, it’s important to explore the journey the by-products of our junk foods take (like what happens to the oil they are cooked in which is aptly called used cooking oil or UCO), and how the journey of those by-products contributes to a more sustainable

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Senators Advocate for Including Rendering in National Food Waste Strategy

U.S. Capitol Building

In a significant move to address the critical issue of food waste, a bipartisan group of eight Senators has urged the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of Agriculture (USDA), and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to incorporate rendering into the Draft National Strategy for Reducing Food Loss and Waste and Recycling Organics. You can read the full letter they sent here.   The Senators Behind the Initiative Led by Senators Roger Marshall, Michael Bennet, and

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Celebrating the 2nd Annual National Rendering Day – April 21, 2024

a logo for national rendering day on april 21

As we gear up for Earth Day on April 22, there’s another important date to mark on your calendar: National Rendering Day, observed on April 21. Organized by the North American Renderers Association (NARA), this day celebrates the vital role of rendering in environmental sustainability and food waste and loss prevention. Why Celebrate Rendering? You might be wondering what rendering is and why it deserves a national day of recognition. Simply put, rendering is the

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The First National Rendering Day

a logo for national rendering day on april 21

Friday, April 21st was the inaugural National Rendering Day.   NARA issued a press release that included the official National Day Calendar issued proclamation announcing National Rendering Day to media and the public. One of NARA’s goals is educating the public and our communities on the highly sustainable nature of rendering. By observing National Rendering Day every April 21st, we hope to bring to awareness to rendering’s many environmental benefits and how rendering plays a really critical in role reducing and eliminating food

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NARA Talks Sustainability at USDA’s Food Loss and Waste Innovation Fair

NARA Logo

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

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NARA President Testifies on Rendering Sustainability Benefits at House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis

U.S. Capitol Building

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,

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Happy Hamburger Month!

National 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

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NARA.org Website Tour

Man working on his laptop

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

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Thankful for Rendering’s Sustainable Contributions (All Around Us)

NARA Logo

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

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The North American Renderers Association (NARA) is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It does not discriminate in the terms and conditions of employment on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other factor prohibited by law.

As a participant in USDA programs, we share the commitment to comply with all federal, state and local civil rights laws and those of the USDA. More about this commitment is available on the USDA website page here.