Dr. Charles W. Beard, vice president for research and technology at the U.S. Poultry and Egg Association, retired on December 31, 2004, after serving as a staff member of the association since 1993. During his tenure, he managed the $1.2 million per year competitive research grants program of the U.S. Poultry and Egg Association and provided technical assistance and advice on a variety of issues including food safety and disease prevention/control.
Beard’s research interests and expertise include avian influenza, Newcastle disease, and Salmonella enteritidis. He is the author of over 140 published papers on a variety of poultry disease subjects and is the developer of the Agar Gel Precipitation test for the detection of avian influenza antibodies in 1970, which is still utilized today.
Biodiesel Board Elects Leaders
The National Biodiesel Board’s (NBB’s) 60 voting members recently elected Darryl Brinkmann, representing the American Soybean Association, as chairman of the trade association. He has been a board member since 1998. Fred Wellons, representing Baker Commodities, was elected vice chairman, Gary Haer, representing West Central Soy, will serve as secretary, and Jerry Osterholt, representing the Indiana Soybean Board, was chosen as treasurer.
Additional NBB governing board members elected are Jim Boushka, Best Biofuels, LLC; John Campbell, Ag Environmental Products; Bob Clark, Imperial Western Products; Jim Conway, Griffin Industries; Gene Gebolys, representing World Energy; Michael Langenhorst, representing Anamax Corporation; Bob Metz, representing the South Dakota Research and Promotion Council; Jeff Nelson, representing Stepan Company; Richard Prascher, representing the Nebraska Soybean Board; Ed Ulch, representing the Iowa Soybean Promotion Board; and David Womack, representing the Tennessee Soybean Promotion Board.
Metz, who was appointed to the newly created position of past chairman, was also presented with the Outstanding Leadership Award.
Crown Iron Works Honored, Hires Product Manager
Crown Iron Works Company has been named by The Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal as one of the 50 fastest growing private companies in the Twin Cities. The only machinery manufacturer to make the list, and the longest standing company by 69 years, Crown attained a 103 percent growth rate during the measurement period, which covers the past three years.
In other company news, Greg Waranica has been hired as product sales manager at Crown Iron Works. Most recently the market manager of Vegetable Oil Technology for Westfalia Separator, Inc., Waranica has 14 years experience in the oils and fats processing industry as well as a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering and a master’s degree in business administration. He has held positions with Uniqema, American Colloid, and EMI.
“Free-Range” Chicken Not Always Salmonella-free
According to a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientist, there is no discernible difference in Salmonella levels between free-range, organically produced poultry and conventionally produced birds.
USDA Agriculture Research Service microbiologist J. Stan Bailey examined 110 processed free-range chickens from three organic producers and found that about 25 percent of the birds tested positive for Salmonella, about the same levels as poultry raised conventionally. Thus, the decision to purchase free-range chicken should not be based on the belief that such a chicken is microbiologically superior, according to Bailey.
“Free-range” chickens make up less than one percent of the billions of chickens produced in the United States each year.
Hormel Acquires Clougherty
Hormel Foods Corporation has acquired all of the stock of Clougherty Packing Company, a privately held Southern California pork processor, for the purchase price of approximately $186 million. Clougherty, which operates a facility in Vernon, CA, is projecting sales of $420 million in 2004.
Kemin Names Two Team Members
Jean Claude Jacquet has been named to the position of ingredient specialist/account manager for Kemin Nutrisurance in Europe. Jacquet brings considerable background in the rendering and pet food business to the position with over 25 years experience as a raw material quality assurance manager for both Affinity Pet Care and Masterfoods European operations. Jacquet will provide technical and commercial account management support and represent Kemin Nutrisurance products to raw material suppliers and rendering clients in Europe.
Lee Ying has been named a research associate in the Kemin Nutrisurance Customer Laboratory Support (CLS) group in the company’s Asia-based operations. She previously serviced as a technical officer for Setsco Services Pte, Ltd., of Singapore where she performed nutritional analysis of foods and testing for food contaminants. In her new role, Ying will assist the group with technical, analytical, and research-based information needs and daily support on various CLS client projects.
Long-time Broker Passes
Fred Baum, who came to the United States in the 1930s from Germany as a tallow trader, passed away in early January at the age of 95.
Upon his arrival in America, Baum joined Leo Pasternak and brokered tallow. During the war, the business closed and Baum joined the Army as a prisoner of war interrogator. The business reopened after the war, where Baum became one of the leading individuals instrumental in developing the post-war growth of exporting tallow (prior to the war, tallow was imported into the United States). His background and contacts in Europe, where he learned his trade, enabled him to accelerate the export process. Baum retired in 1979 but maintained an interest in the business for many years. He is survived by his wife Isle, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
NRA Joins National Coalition
The National Renderers Association (NRA) has joined the National Coalition for Food and Agriculture Research (C-FAR), a nonprofit, nonpartisan, consensus-based and customer-led coalition that brings food, agriculture, nutrition, conservation, and natural resource stakeholders together with the food and agricultural research community.
The coalition serves as a forum and a unified voice in support of sustaining and increasing public investment at the national level in food and agricultural research, extension, and education to bring about:
• safer, more nutritious, convenient, and affordable foods;
• more efficient and environmentally friendly food, fiber, and forest production;
• improved water quality, land conservation, and other environmental conditions;
• less dependence on non-renewable sources of energy; and
• expanded global markets and improved balance of trade.
Dr. David Meeker, NRA vice president, Scientific Services, will serve on the National C-FAR board of directors. The coalition has planned a number of Capitol Hill briefings on agriculture and food research and has supported the establishment of a National Institute for Food and Agriculture providing its funding is in addition to critical funding for existing U.S. Department of Agriculture research, extension, and education programs.
Sanimal, Anamax to Merge
The boards of Sanimal, Inc., Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and the Anamax Group of Companies, Green Bay, WI, will join forces under a recently approved merger agreement. The two companies, both recognized as leaders in the rendering industry, are merging to take complete advantage of strategic opportunities in the industry.
“We are very excited by the opportunities that this new relationship gives us,” explained Andre Couture, chairman, Sanimal. “The exchange of knowledge and technology is truly a case where one plus one will equal three.”
“Because the foundations of our two companies are similar – both family-owned with mirroring corporate values – the merger will be seamless,” said Mike Langenhorst, president and chief executive officer of the Anamax Group. “Together we will be able to continue to live the corporate vision that our company has embraced since 1881.”
Couture will be chairman of the newly merged organization and there will be no changes in regional management or operations. Martin Couture will continue as president of Sanimal, and Langenhorst will continue in his position at Anamax.
Sullivan Joins World Energy
Larry Sullivan has been named upper midwest director of sales for World Energy, a supplier of biodiesel fuel blends, and will oversee the company’s new office in St. Paul, MN. Most recently, Sullivan was with Crown Iron Works.
February 2005 Render