The North American Renderers Association (NARA) is urging the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), US Department of Agriculture (USDA), and US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to recognize the important role of the rendering industry in reducing food loss and waste (FLW) and promoting a circular economy [bb8664b5]. NARA expressed disappointment at the exclusion of renderers from the draft US national strategy for reducing FLW and emphasized the need for collaboration with the EPA, USDA, and FDA. NARA CEO Kent Swisher highlighted the necessity of rendering in achieving the US goal of a 50% reduction in FLW by 2030. Dr. Charles Starkey, NARA's vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs, emphasized the nutritional and environmental benefits of using animal byproducts in pet food formulations and debunked myths about the use of beef tallow [bb8664b5].
The rendering industry plays a crucial role in the circular economy by converting animal byproducts, such as fat, bone, and offal, into useful products like animal feed, biodiesel, and pet food. NARA is engaging in collaborative efforts with the pet food industry to explore innovative concepts and assist in achieving carbon reduction targets. They are also working on enhancing data transparency and sustainability-related information in the rendering industry [bb8664b5].