Renderers Face New Directions As they venture into the future By Tina Caparella C hange can be difficult, but is sometimes necessary and always inevitable. The rendering industry has seen change before and is seeing it again, this time in the form of new leadership for its association and new government regulations. Members of the National Renderers Association (NRA) learned about these new directions and other facets of business at the group’s 80th annual convention in late October in Naples, FL. Self-proclaimed “equal opportunity finger pointer” James Wiesemeyer, Informa Economics, opened the convention with his take on the future of agricultural politics, regulations, and trade. He said the best way to explain what has happened in Washington, DC, is with a story his father used to tell him: “A glass half full is always good news since it used to be empty.” “Problem is,” Wiesemeyer said, “Congress wants the glass to be full.” His prediction for economic prospects in the United States (US) is slow growth with headwinds, and stated that American businesses just want to know the rules. “They may not like them, but they want to know them,” noted Wiesemeyer, who is “51 percent certain” the biodiesel tax credit will be extended after it expires this year. “This is the perverted way your Congress works,” he declared. Wiesemeyer foresees mega changes in the production and usage of energy and his take on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, or the US-European Union (EU) bilateral trade negotiations, is “I’ll believe it when I see it.” Also peering into the future was economist Dr. Lowell Catlett, New Mexico State University, who admitted that economists “don’t know jack about anything.” He shared a recent report that examined the 195 countries with at least $1 billion in gross domestic product per year. It is estimated that the collective value of those countries in 2013 is $70 trillion, of which $17 trillion comes from the United States and $7 trillion from China. “Five countries will produce over half of that $70 trillion,” Catlett announced. “More people have more money in the world and we’re agriculture producing more calories per person than ever before. That’s pretty darn good!” He then described a new world of three-dimensional manufacturing and the power of cell phones to diagnose cancer and track medical conditions. “Get ready for a revolution, especially in business,” Catlett proclaimed. Richard Sellers, American Feed Industry Association (AFIA), discussed the new Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) food and feed rules, explaining that “food” as defined by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) means food for man and animals, “including chewing gum.” He shared the two major actions every rendering facility should expect under FSMA: (1) conduct hazard analysis and critical control point program, and (2) develop and implement written preventive controls plan, perform monitoring, validate the program, take the corrective actions, verify the program, and keep records for two years. In addition, good manufacturing practice rules will be required for all feed, feed ingredient, and pet food manufacturers. Sellers informed the audience that the food rule focuses on microbial control while the feed rule will target chemical contaminants. He noted that renderers certified under the Rendering Industry Code of Practice or AFIA’s Safe Feed/Safe Food program are currently following the FSMA law, and FDA expects to only annually inspect 600 of the 190,000-plus food facilities due to very low funding. “Is that not a drop in the bucket?” Sellers asked. On a positive note, industry will be able to assist FDA in writing guidance documents. Next, Sellers shared tips for FDA inspections, such as inspectors cannot interview employees and are not entitled to see tonnage amounts or prices. He advised renderers to copy any documents that inspectors copy, to be polite, not to allow photography, and especially not to lie. “You can say ‘I don’t know’ or ‘I can get that information,’ or ‘I’ll have to talk to my boss about that,’” Sellers explained. “It’s a federal crime to lie to a federal officer. And remember: they are there to collect evidence that can be used.” Kevin Good, Cattle-Fax, gave an overview of the livestock industry, showing that commercial cow slaughter will be down about two percent this year and 10 percent in 2014, but a bigger beef cow herd is on the way for 2015. Feeder cattle imports are down 24 percent (more being fed in Mexico), 10 December 2013 Render www.rendermagazine.com
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