In April, the National Renderers Association (NRA) International Market Development Committee co-sponsored along with the World Renderers Organization (WRO) an informational session at a joint International Feed Industry Federation and Food and Agriculture Organization Global Feed and Food Congress in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The theme of the session was “Evaluating Global Options for Animal Proteins – Replacing Fishmeal in Aquatic and Terrestrial Feed Rations.” The meeting was a good event to bring a positive message to end users and regulators about rendered products. There were over 500 participants from over 40 countries in attendance at the congress. The NRA/WRO meeting was in a breakout session with over 100 attendees creating a full house.
At this meeting, the NRA and WRO promoted rendered products as a high quality, environmentally friendly, sustainable source of fats and proteins. The main focus of speakers was discussing the benefit and opportunity for rendered products to replace fish meal in feed rations. An added benefit of this meeting was the attendance of regulators from various countries and the ability to openly discuss rendered products with them and answer their questions, ultimately assisting the process of reversing negative perceptions and re-opening markets. Speakers and topics included:
• Dr. Claudio Bellaver, Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, or EMBRAPA, Brazil – Alternative Applications for Animal Fats and Proteins
• Dr. Albert Tacon, Aquatic Farms, Ltd. – Global Trends in Aquaculture and Aquafeed Production: Challenges and Opportunities
• Dr. Sergio Nates, Fats and Proteins Research Foundation – Rendered Protein Meals and Their Utilization in Aquafeeds
• Dr. Stephen Woodgate, WRO – Utilizing Rendered Products for Feed
• Dr. David Meeker, NRA Scientific Affairs/Animal Protein Producers Industry Committee – The Production Process for High Quality Proteins, Fats, and Oils
• Dr. Don A. Franco, Center for Bio-security, Food Safety, and Public Health – Food Production in a World of Change
In addition to the technical session, speakers were also interviewed by two major regional publications, Animal Pharm World Animal Health and Nutrition News and the Feed and Food magazine.
The global rendering industry is quite diverse, with the major producers being North America, the European Union, Australia/New Zealand, Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay. These major producers compete quite aggressively in the export markets. However, on a perception basis, many times rendered products are treated similarly by import officials. Hence, this meeting provided a platform to educate and promote a global audience to the benefit of utilizing rendered products produced around the world.
Of particular interest was the situation in Brazil, a country whose rendering industry continues to grow and develop. Bellaver represented the Brazilian rendering association at this meeting. As Brazil’s livestock industry grows, so does its rendering industry. Bellaver stated that, annually, Brazil produces approximately 508,000 metric tons of poultry meals, 240,000 metric tons of porcine meals, 1.9 million metric tons of meat and bone meal, and 242,000 metric tons of feather meal. Total production of animal proteins is close to 2.9 million metric tons, and production of fats and greases is approximately 1.9 million metric tons. At the same time, Brazil’s feed production is growing as well. It is forecasted that in 2007, Brazil’s feed industry will grow by nine percent, producing 51.4 million metric tons of feed and utilizing 2.6 million metric tons of rendered animal proteins. With Brazil’s growing feed and biodiesel industries, it is highly likely that they will consume a vast quantity of their own production, relying less on the export market.
According to the meeting sponsors, “…food sustainability permeated all discussions from the second edition of the Global Feed and Food Congress. How to produce food for everybody, respecting the environment, and assuring the population’s welfare – this matter is a growing concern to the civil society all over the planet. Lecturers and guests hope to find an answer, for there is a prediction that the world population will grow over 50 percent until 2050, reaching nine billion people.”
That said, this was a meeting that truly could not be missed by the world’s “original recyclers.”
Program information is available at www.globalfeed-food.com.
International Report - June 2007 Render