While attempting to deplete an enormous pile of accumulated papers, I found the 1988 convention issue of Render magazine. In memory of the National Renderers Association’s (NRA’s) past chairman, Ed Wieland, I would like to paraphrase some of his comments made those 17 years ago.
“We have made great improvements in our quality and efficiency…we have overcome much of the concern about government interference and changed it to government cooperation…this is not a one person show I will assure you,” and “I believe all of us finally came to accept the idea that it would be of benefit to have our association work more closely with the meat producing industry by enhancing and promoting the value of meat animals.”
I find it hard to believe just how prophetic his comments were. This industry continues to lead the way in governmental cooperation, and most certainly in compliance. In 1988, NRA membership was questionable and declining. In 2005, it has never been greater in representing the rendering capacity in North America. Independents and packers are now partners in every aspect of the industry, and have successfully lobbied their positions around the world in every international venue. And yet, as our forefathers could not have imagined in 1933, at the creation of the NRA, that change in the future is the only constant that we would have in our lives.
Where we will go and how we will get there are the challenges we must now face again. Each year brings new opportunities, new obstacles, and still some old closets that must be opened and cleaned. In order to accomplish this, we must continually attract young talented personnel to an industry that is seldom – actually, never – listed as the ultimate career or most glamorous job. In fact, we must rely on our ability to function in light of a negative image, and not forget the hard labor that has gone before us to create this “gatekeeper industry” that continues to protect animal and public health. We continue to debate the issue of our image, yet every step forward comes only with great effort.
The Fats and Proteins Research Foundation has had to re-orient its focus through these years. And I must say a superb job has been done. The cooperation with Clemson University appears to have put our industry on track to investigate every opportunity we may think possible, or maybe even a bit crazy. Many new and innovative successes have been born of near failures.
The Animal Protein Producers Industry was created to serve another purpose for our industry. Its universal acceptance has allowed us to create a framework that will continue to serve members and non-members of NRA alike. Yet each year we must, as an industry, evaluate ourselves as the few non-members see us. We, therefore, can collectively take immense pride in our current membership roster, all the while continuing to convince those few non-members of the importance of a single, majority voice that NRA represents.
The NRA staff is a success like no other. This assembly of individuals led by Tom Cook has clearly established the rendering industry as the “go-to” industry for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Environmental Protection Agency. Our collective image is improved each day by their efforts in Washington and around the world. We, the members, salute each and every one of you.
When all of this BSE mess started in 1987 for the rest of the world, little did we know or understand the far-reaching implications it would have. It is my sincere belief, however, that we are rapidly approaching that far right end of the bell curve, the point where no person or self interest group can get a newspaper to refer to “mad cow disease,” but rather, “bovine spongiform encephalopathy,” which will become a textbook case for future generations to study and find the huge catastrophe that media sensationalism can create.
On September 6, 2005, FDA presented the first rational scientific work in a long time in returning certain cattle parts to the human food chain. Hopefully this beginning ushers in a new awareness of the importance the rendering industry plays in the food chain. The “invisible industry” has become the “visible” gatekeeper of animal and human health.
From the Association - December 2005 Render