Posted on 04/21/2025 4:40:56 AM PDT by Red Badger
Founded in 2023 by National Day Calendar® and the North American Renderers Association (NARA). Average Amy Monette, CEO & Partner
NATIONAL RENDERING DAY
National Rendering Day is on April 21 and we are celebrating by bringing awareness to reducing and eliminating food waste through a process known as rendering.
#NationalRenderingDay
North Americans consider roughly 50% of an animal inedible. This leaves a lot of leftover material that ends up as food waste. On National Rendering Day, we learn about how we can eliminate this waste, what rendering means, and why using the rendering process is the smart choice.
What is rendering? In short, rendering is recycling from that 50% of the animal we don’t eat. Rendering reclaims the otherwise wasted material, such as protein, bone, and fat and even includes used cooking oil (UCO) from restaurants. The rendering process safely, hygienically, and sustainably processes that unused material (the meat we don’t eat) into new products and goods so nothing is wasted. When we render material safely and hygienically, we process the material in a sustainable and safe manner. In addition, we convert what would have been food waste into material for use in new products.
Rendering demonstrates respect and resourcefulness, especially for the livestock that were raised with care by farmers. In fact, rendering shows respect for the animal itself by using all of the animal. In other words, no part of the animal goes to waste. Additionally, by offsetting the environmental impacts of animal agriculture, rendering shrinks our food production footprint.
Rendering Process
The rendering process transforms and upcycles what would have been food waste into safe, clean, and valuable ingredients for countless new goods. Rendering also saves landfill space and recycles 99% of unwanted material. For this reason, people can feel confident knowing they are making a sustainable choice by using items made through upcycling by rendering material. Once the rendering process is complete, the ingredients can be used in sustainable production of new goods. These new goods transform into common everyday items, such as:
Safe and nutritious pet food and animal feed.
Household and industrial products.
Biofuels and Biomass-based diesel.
Renewable diesel.
Eco-Friendly Solution
Rendering is socially and economically sustainable and supports the three pillars of sustainability--environmental, social, and economic. As a highly environmentally sustainable process, rendering:
Reduces food waste.
Saves landfill space.
Reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Reclaims and returns clean water to the environment.
Provides countless recycled products.
Impact on Environment
According to recent data published in 2020, the U.S. and Canada annually produce more than 62 billion pounds of rendered raw materials. As a result of rendering that material, we can produce approximately 31.4 billion pounds of rendered products each year, keeping it out of landfills.
The data also reports that rendering reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 72% when compared to petroleum diesels, and reduces fossil fuel use by 80%. In comparison to industrial composting, rendering avoids at least 90% of the potential GHG emissions. Simply put, rendering is the GHG reduction equivalent of removing approximately 18.5 million cars off the road each year.
Social and Economic Impact
Rendering is a financially sound and community-focused industry, offering career stability and a commitment to community support. Socially, the act of rendering food provides thousands of full-time, stable jobs that support families and local communities from coast to coast, especially in rural areas. Most importantly, local jobs stay local because of the raw and perishable nature of the material being rendered.
Most rendering plants are family owned and operated. Many rendering companies are dedicated and passionate about providing community care and outreach. Renderers also contribute to their neighborhoods and wider communities. From supporting the local little league and fire departments, to helping feed and support those in need, renderers are deeply rooted in social sustainability and community support.
Plant owners invest a considerable amount of time and money to improve and enhance their sustainability efforts. This dedication ensures their facilities remain as climate smart and environmentally responsible as possible.
GET INVOLVED
Encourage rendering in your community.
Learn important facts about rendering and the important impact it has on the environment.
Encourage friends and neighbors to support rendering efforts in their communities.
Listen to The Invisible Industry podcast to grow awareness and appreciation for rendering's important contributions to sustainability and reduced food waste.
Share your rendering support on social media using #NationalRenderingDay and tagging a renderer you know.
A NEW NATIONAL DAY
National Day Calendar and the North American Renderers Association (NARA) are happy to announce National Rendering Day to be celebrated each year on April 21. This day has been created to show appreciation for those in the rendering industry. The date was intentionally chosen to be near Earth Day to remind everyone the importance of rendering in the larger sustainability and reduced food waste conversations. Today, we encourage everyone to recognize and celebrate the many environmental benefits of rendering, including the important role in reducing food waste and overall sustainability.
The North American Renderers Association (NARA) is an alliance that represents the best interests of its members in public, government, and regulatory affairs. The organization provides services, programs, and technical support to the North American rendering industry, both in the national and international markets. Their vision is to deliver sustainable solutions to food, feed, fuel, oleochemical, and other customers. NARA advocates for a sustainable food chain, public health, and the environment through the production and marketing of their members’ products and services.
***********************************************************************************
Notable Birthdays for April 21
Alexander Anderson (17751870) - Engraver who was also considered America's first illustrator.
Hannibal Goodwin (1822-1900) - Priest who patented a method for making film for Thomas Edison's kaleidoscope invention.
William Rufus Terrill (1834-1862) - Brigadier General for the Union Army.
Ivan Combe (1911-2000) - Developer of Clearasil (acne medication).
Don Tyson (1930-2011) - Founder of Tyson Foods.
Tony Danza (1951-Still Living) - Actor best known for his roles in Taxi and Who's the Boss?
Ed Fiori (1953-Still Living) - Four-time PGA Tour champion.
Memorable Events for April 21
1789 - John Adams is sworn in as the first Vice President.
1855 - The first train crosses on the Mississippi River's first bridge.
1857 - Alexander Douglas receives the patent for the bustle.
1862 - Congress establishes U.S. Mint in CO.
1878 - First Lady Lucy Hayes begins the first egg rolling contest on the White House lawn.
Happy Lard Day!..........................
NARA Form 990It is a season of fatted calfs and fat cats.... NGO, anyone?An Alexandria, VA non-profit whose secretary/treasurer and CEO picked up $ 241,385 in pay and another $ 39,807 in bennies.
...whose senior vice president got $ 270,176 in pay and another $ 44,243 in extras.
...and which seems to eat up its donations funding its salaries, benefits and office expenses, with a million for conferences in 2022.
Tax exempt, and all "to create an alliance that speaks with a collective voice that represents the best interests of its members...."
Praise the lard!
Actually ... while lard is great stuff ... it is a by product of hog butchering. Live hogs, food grade stuff.
Rendering also includes pick up and disposal of carcasses of dead farm animals. Most of the time NOT a happy story.
You never want to be the last owner of a horse because you see your pet hauled off in a truck to be turned into fertilizer.
In America, steak and kidney pie is rendered uneatable
Man! Those ‘Rendering Folks’ have a great Publicist and a great Lobbyist, LOL!
My next ‘rendering’ will be making Dandelion blossoms into Dandelion Wine. ;)
I have heard all my life that ‘Dandelion Greens’ are a thing, but never have eaten any, that I know of..............
You either use Lard in your pie crusts, or you’re WRONG!
Great Grandma’s Lard Pie Crust
https://cookingwithcarlee.com/great-grandmas-lard-pie-crust/#wprm-recipe-container-15111
Hard to find ‘Leaf Lard’ nowadays.............
The young Dandelion leaves are what people forage and eat. The wine just uses the yellow blossoms. :)
7 Tasty Dandelion Greens Recipes You’ll Be Desperate To Try
https://www.ruralsprout.com/dandelion-greens/
I’m going to see if my chickens will eat Dandelion Greens.
Also:
25 Edible Wild Plants To Forage For In Early Spring
https://www.ruralsprout.com/edible-wild-plants-spring/
PLENTY to eat out there if you know what to look for. All of the early greens and shoots and roots are full of vitamins and minerals, which people desperately needed after a long, dark Winter. :)
(This was well before Flintstone Vitamins, LOL!)
Leaf Lard is the top of the line stuff. Any standard lard will do in pie crust, IMHO. We just used the everyday stuff Grandma bought at the grocery store when I was a kid.
“As leaf lard is made from a specific kind of fat on the pig, it makes sense that this product would be considered a specialty item. Butcher shops and specialty meat markets will no doubt be able to help supply you with leaf lard, but it probably won’t be easy to find in your average grocery store. Luckily, modern shoppers can enjoy the ease of ordering it online as well at places like Amazon or Etsy.”
https://www.tastingtable.com/1221544/the-best-type-of-lard-for-baking-where-you-can-find-it/
You either use Lard in your pie crusts, or you’re WRONG!
Great Grandma’s Lard Pie Crust
https://cookingwithcarlee.com/great-grandmas-lard-pie-crust/#wprm-recipe-container-15111
Hard on your arteries ........i hear.
Funny how they’re now saying that lard and beef tallow are healthier than seed oils. A few restaurants like Buffalo Wild Wings and Outback Steakhouse use beef tallow - and fast food “restaurants” Popeyes, Shake n Steak and Smashburger use beef tallow for their French fries.
Older people remember how delicious McDonald’s fries used to be before they switched to vegetable oils.
My dad used blood meal as a fertilizer - not sure you can even buy it any longer - smelled terrible, but he had an amazing garden and gave credit to the blood meal.
We had a dog about 20 years ago that would not eat certain French fries. I forget which, Burger King or Wendy’s, since we patronized both at the time. But one or the other, he would just sniff and walk away, the other he would eat readily..........
They knew not to touch vegetable/seed oils! Smart dogs.
Reminds me of my two dogs - one large, one small, neither of which would touch the rotisserie chicken from Costco. They loved the rotisserie chicken from Sprouts, Walmart and Ralphs, but wouldn’t touch Costco’s.
We immediately stopped buying it.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.