NRA closed the year by submitting comments to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on their proposed rule to change the current feed regulation. It was a major effort by the NRA members and staff alike. In addition, the association engaged the services of Informa Economics to do an industry survey so the most credible information about the rendering industry could be provided to the FDA. Dr. David Meeker addresses the association’s comments on page 14 of this issue.
I want to express thanks to the many people who contributed to the effort. Renderers were asked to provide information, on a confidential basis, to Informa Economics that was crucial to the association’s position. In addition, many NRA members provided valuable input to the comments that were submitted.
We worked hard to make sure other interested parties were aware of what the consequences might be if such a proposal were to be finalized. We enlisted allies who realized that the question of disposal had not been adequately addressed in the proposed rule. Individual renderers worked diligently to inform key individuals, state agencies, and other entities that would be affected by the rule.
The comment period has closed and the FDA has the duty to read all of the comments submitted and then determine what, if any, the next action should be. I do not want to speculate what’s next. However, I believe we made a very strong case for not making changes to existing regulations.
It is not fun to take a stand contrary to other industries and organizations that we work with and are in regular contact with. However, the NRA membership had a very thorough and informed discussion on the proposed rule at its convention in October 2005. Renderers are as knowledgeable a group as any on the subject of bovine spongiform encephalopathy. We took a position and backed it up with our comments. We can stand tall and be proud of the position we have taken.
New Beginning
With the start of the new year, NRA was in a new office with the Fats and Proteins Research Foundation (FPRF) and the Animal Protein Producers Industry (APPI) all under one roof. In March 2005, NRA advanced proposals to FPRF and APPI that would bring all three organizations together in one office in Alexandria, VA.
The proposal to FPRF was for NRA to assume the management of the foundation. Dr. Gary Pearl, who has faithfully served as FPRF president, was retiring. The foundation had been headquartered in his home for the past 12 years. If FPRF were to make a move, this was considered to be the most logical time.
The FPRF Board of Directors approved the proposal and we are now in the transition of transferring the foundation from Bloomington, IL, to Alexandria, VA, where Dr. Sergio Nates, FPRF’s new president, will run the foundation (see “People, Places, &” on page 32).
At the same time as FPRF’s proposal, NRA proposed to the APPI Board of Directors that APPI become part of NRA, establishing APPI programs within NRA as a separate committee. It would have its own budget and committee members directing its programs, operating much like the current International Market Development Committee. The APPI Board of Directors accepted and approved the NRA proposal at its annual meeting in October 2005.
Meeker already has the joint responsibilities of being the NRA vice president for Scientific Services and APPI president, and he will continue in this capacity. Dara John, who has been handling the administrative responsibilities for APPI for the past 17 years, will now be an employee of NRA. She will continue to perform many of her same duties working with Meeker and the APPI committee from her home office in Huntsville, MO. The NRA headquarters will assume and coordinate many of the administrative and meeting planning responsibilities for all of the organizations.
We’ve also expanded the offices in Alexandria, VA, moving just down the hall from suite 207 to suite 205 into a newly renovated space. The new offices are slightly larger to accommodate FPRF and we were able to design the space to be much more useful and worker friendly. We will now be able to host certain meetings in a new conference room.
With these actions, we believe the industry organizations will become more efficient and provide better services to the rendering industry. We believe there will be a new synergy in the Alexandria office as the functions of the previous three organization come together to serve the rendering industry.
From the Association - February 2006 Render