By Tina Caparella
Renderers believe another case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) may be found in the U.S. cattle population, and they’ll be ready for it if that day comes.
So was the predominant message at a late April joint meeting of the industry’s three trade groups – the National Renderers Association (NRA), Fats and Proteins Research Foundation (FPRF), and Animal Protein Producers Industry (APPI).
The four-day session began with the FPRF approving new research projects and taking care of business matters, including accepting the retirement announcement by Dr. Gary Pearl, FPRF president since 1993, which will be effective April 1, 2005.
“I want to thank you, Gary, for all you’ve done for FPRF and thank all the FPRF members for their support over the years,” commented FPRF Chairman Don Davis, Central Bi-Products Company. Four independent research projects were approved:
• Evaluating the Effects of Meat and Bone in Reproducing Sow Diets
• Infrastructure Applications for Terminal Velocity Separated (Elutriated) Meat and Bone Meal
• Digestibility of Amino Acids from Meat and Bone Meal Sources for Broilers
• Effects of Supplemental Fat on Growth Performance and Quality of Beef from Steers Fed Corn Finishing Diets
Also approved was over $160,000 in funding for nine projects to be conducted at the newly developed Animal Co-Products Research Center at Clemson University in South Carolina. Pearl advised the research committee to meet at Clemson in early October to become acquainted with the various researchers who will be conducting the projects for the foundation. He also recommended that FPRF become a member of the university’s Films and Fibers Institute, which will provide access to the institute’s research projects that might be beneficial to the rendering industry.
Since many of the foundation’s future research projects will be conducted at the Animal Co-Products Research Center, Lewis Atkinson, Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA), discussed the MLA’s and Australian Renderers Association’s interest in a partnership with Clemson similar to one they have had with FPRF over the years. MLA and FPRF are currently working on an agreement for that partnership, which could be financially beneficial as MLA envisions contributing hundreds of thousands of dollars to research at the center.
In regards to biodiesel research, the FPRF Board of Directors voted to contribute $100,000 next year to help fund a $2.1 million original equipment manufacturers study being conducted by the National Biodiesel Board (NBB). The FPRF board will review the study after a year and decide on continued funding at that time.
Product Safety and New Uses
FPRF’s Emerging Issues and Opportunities Seminar began with Dr. Don Franco, Center for Biosecurity, Food Safety, and Public Health, addressing the prevalence of microbial contamination, specifically Salmonella, in animal protein feedstuffs. He said the relevance of Salmonella to public health began to take on a global perspective nearly 65 years ago and that controls of the contaminant were initially geared toward animal reservoirs and foods of animal origin that appeared to be pathways for the organism. Salmonella contamination in feed was first recognized in 1948 in poultry mash with extensive surveillance done in the United States on the prevalence of the organism in animal proteins from 1960 to 1975. In September 1990, the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) announced a goal of zero Salmonella contamination in animal feed ingredients and finished feed and later recommended applying the principles of hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) to accomplish that goal.
“It’s a logical way to prevent hazards from the feed and food cycle,” Franco commented, later saying that historical records show the risk of Salmonella contamination from feed and feed ingredients is minimal.
Dr. Paul Dawson, Clemson University Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, discussed the fundamentals of food safety systems, pointing out the four biological safety problems to food recognized by the Centers for Disease Control as Salmonella, Clostridium perfringens, BSE, and foot and mouth disease. He presented various options used to preserve food and prevent contaminants, such as thermal processing, which could be used in rendering.
Dr. Gennaro Maffia, Widener University Department of Chemical Engineering, covered research results on using meat and bone meal in the production of asphalt and cement. He said his “take home message” was that 2.5 percent inclusion of meat and bone meal produced good results and that further testing would be conducted.
Dr. Tom Foglia, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agriculture Research Service (ARS), recapped several of the agency’s projects that utilize rendered products, including fats and oils research in biodiesel production, structured lipids, and fatty acid oxygenation process. The ARS is also developing a BSE integrated strategic research plan focusing on pathogenesis, diagnostics, and intervention.
Wrapping up the seminar was Frank Klein, Neogen Corporation, who reviewed various methods for species tissue testing, which included ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay), lateral flow devices, DNA, and microscopy. He said that while the method of choice by governments, including the United States, is microscopy, disadvantages include requiring highly experienced personnel and that it is prone to false negative results. Klein stated that the test user must identify the need in determining which test to use.
Planning for the Future
Members of the three organizations gathered to discuss a North American Rendering Industry Strategic Plan prepared earlier this year by a group of industry leaders. The plan consists of an industry vision, mission statements for each of the three groups, and programming and organizational goals.
“North American rendering industry…united as the recognized essential service provider for safe, science-based processing of animal and food by-products,” is the vision the groups agreed should carry them forward.
The strategic plan sets these programming goals:
• Have government policies recognize the North American rendering industry as the ultimate solution for processing animal and food by-products;
• Develop a means of communication to promote the North American rendering industry as a positive solution;
• Re-establish export markets subject to proposed rules and regulations;
• Research and develop new uses for rendered products;
• Complete and implement the rendering code of practice (COP).
David Kirsten, National By-Products, and Ross Hamilton, Darling International, presented the specifics of the COP, which will promote the safety of animal proteins and rendered fats through the establishment of a minimum industry program and an accreditation process. Hamilton outlined the preconditions of the accreditation, which includes active participation in the APPI Salmonella testing program. He added that the COP will satisfy a number of future issues, including the American Feed Industry Association’s food safety initiative, the Association of American Feed Control Officials’ (AAFCOs’) feed process control program, and the CVM’s Animal Feed Safety System (see “Newsline”).
Committees Continue Message
The NRA committees held their meetings, beginning with AAFCO Committee Chairman Don Davis reporting on AAFCO’s mid-year meeting held in January. He said the group is excited about their feed safety program, which is currently being drafted. Kevin Custer, American Proteins, Inc., commented on CVM’s recently released feed safety program, comparing it to HACCP, and said the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture is at odds with USDA and its BSE surveillance program.
“They don’t think it’s enough,” Custer stated.
The Environmental Committee discussed the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) final Effluent Limitation Guidelines (ELGs) rule (see February 2004 Render). NRA was part of an industry coalition led by the American Meat Institute (AMI) that advocated for a dramatic overhaul of the proposed regulation. The effort, pursued over a four-year period, helped the red meat industry avoid over $300 million in new capital and operating costs.
AMI reports that as a result of the coalition’s efforts, EPA dropped indirect discharging plants entirely from the rule and narrowed the group of regulated facilities to just over two dozen of the largest red meat facilities. Also under the final rule, direct discharging independent renderers that process more than 10 million pounds of raw materials per year will have the same total nitrogen limits as red meat facilities.
The Legislative Committee followed, first discussing the energy bill and legislative activities with lobbyist Steve Kopperud via conference call. He did not bring good news.
“There’s nothing that’s going to happen on the energy bill anytime soon,” he predicted. With regard to possible changes to FDA’s 1997 feed ban rule, Kopperud said it would be in the industry’s best interest to provide FDA with the economic effects of banning specified risk materials (SRMs) from feed, which is estimated to be between four and five billion pounds.
Committee Chairman Michael Langenhorst, Anamax Corporation, encouraged renderers to join the NBB to show support for rendered fats and oils-based biodiesel. He also shared the activities of a BSE summit held earlier in the week by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, which was attended by several rendering leaders, government agencies, ranchers, restaurant representatives, and other industries affected by the December 23, 2003, BSE incident in Washington. Langenhorst said the main points renderers discussed at the summit were SRMs, that rendering needs to be considered one of the disposal options, and correct wording for clean out procedures so trucks can be used for various raw materials.
“As an industry, we need to work with regulators and be proactive about another case of BSE emerging,” he commented.
During the committee meeting, a conference call was held with Dr. Lisa Ferguson, BSE coordinator for the USDA, about the agency’s BSE surveillance program, which is still being developed.
“We definitely do not have all the answers at this time,” she stated. Langenhorst shared with Ferguson that the consensus of the attendees at the BSE summit was that a government body needs to come out and say that, as the United States begins its surveillance program, a few cases of BSE may emerge that developed prior to safety firewalls, such as the feed ban, being put in place. Ferguson went on to explain that a chart is being assembled illustrating sample guidelines for testable materials. She concluded the call by saying, “I appreciate your participation and cooperation with our local folks.”
Michael Koewler, Sacramento Rendering Company, informed the committee about legislation being considered in California that would label trap grease as hazardous waste. The premise behind Assembly Bill 2633 is to prevent illegal dumping of trap grease. Koewler said the Pacific Coast Renderers Association (PCRA) has submitted amendments to the bill that include eliminating the reference to hazardous. The bill had been forwarded to appropriations at the time of the meeting.
Mark Myers, National By-Products, LLC, asked that discussion points at the NRA Fly-In in June include renderers’ role in USDA’s animal identification program, the number of animals in the agency’s surveillance program that will be handled by renderers, and the possibility of another BSE case being found. The committee declared that the NRA supports the USDA BSE surveillance program and that renderers will fully cooperate with its implementation.
The International Market Development Committee (IMDC) had no shortage of subject matter, beginning with the European Commission Regulation No. 1774/2002, the animal by-products regulation, which was scheduled to take effect May 1, 2004, about the same time 10 new countries would be joining the European Union (EU). Neville Chandler, NRA regional director for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, explained that under the regulation, tallow exported to the EU must be processed at 133 degrees Celsius at three bar pressure for 20 minutes and have less than 0.15 percent insoluble impurities. He added that gel bones containing SRMs will be allowed into the region, but can only be used for technical purposes.
“That’s the situation, gentlemen. I’m sorry,” Chandler said, adding that under these requirements, U.S. tallow exports to the EU will become nonexistent unless North American renderers decide, for commercial reasons, to produce tallow using the EU’s pressure cooking conditions.
Chandler next covered the various trade restraints currently in the region. He stated that all countries are waiting to see what the USDA, FDA, and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will do with regard to regulations that affect rendered products before resuming imports of ruminant meat and bone meal. Chandler explained that educational seminars on soap are scheduled in Moscow and Nigeria, and on the safety of rendered products in Egypt and South Africa.
German Davalos, NRA regional director for Latin America, informed the committee that U.S. plants exporting porcine or poultry by-products to Mexico must be inspected by APHIS, who in turn will send the list to Mexico for final approval. He also said Mexico will allow the use of ruminant meat and bone meal in finished pet food being imported, as long as the processing plant handles animals younger than 30 months of age. Davalos stated that APHIS has not been able to certify the age of these animals being processed; therefore, pet food currently exported to Mexico does not contain ruminant meat and bone meal.
“These are pretty tough restrictions,” he commented. Better news is coming out of Venezuela, where U.S. exports of yellow grease are back to normal after government regulations initially blocked their import after the discovery of BSE in the United States. Venezuela’s government released an allocation of 86,000 metric tons of yellow grease to be imported in 2004.
On another positive note, Davalos said that pet food containing ruminant meat and bone meal is being allowed into Honduras without the age restrictions put in place in Mexico, although this is not a large market.
Kent Swisher, vice president, NRA International Programs, highlighted the association’s export strategy:
• Fight for immediate access for products unrelated to BSE;
• Continue product promotion messages;
• Increase product safety messages;
• Monitor and be more proactive with world organizations.
Swisher addressed the various trade challenges the industry has had with regards to avian influenza (AI), including a ban on poultry meal by several countries from U.S. states that have reported AI. He stated that at the urging of NRA, APHIS will send a veterinarian to Southeast Asia to negotiate AI and other sanitary related issues, and that China is allowing tallow imports on a “conditional” entry.
The Eastern Region Renderers Association met briefly, electing to donate $4,000 to both the IMDC and FPRF and look into holding a convention in 2005 geared towards general and plant managers.
The session wrapped up with NRA’s Board of Directors meeting, where Koewler presented a check for $18,250 to the IMDC on behalf of PCRA members and the NRA board created a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy committee chaired by Myers. In recognition of his commitment and dedication to the association over the years, NRA will send a Proclamation of Declaration to Dennis Mullane, who is battling cancer.
The three groups will meet again October 18-23, 2004, in New Orleans, LA.
June 2004 Render