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President’s Report
October 2004
Dr. Gary G. Pearl
As I prepare my last President’s
Report to the membership, it is with anticipation for many changes.
Hopefully it will be a change in lifestyle for Sandy and I in which
three different career segments are ending: private veterinary
practice, corporate veterinarian and that of directly serving the
rendering industry. It is my greatest hope that we are leaving FPRF
with an extremely well respected, viable organization with the power
of vision to grow. During the past eleven years, the foundation and
the rendering industry have undergone changes of unprecedented
magnitude. The industry has been challenged by many sobering
realities, many of which signaled dire consequences even to the
extent of threatening the viability of the industry itself. Though
only a part of the overall industry, research has been, is and must
continue to be a most viable resource to assist in addressing those
challenges. Without doubt the rendering industries support for a
research foundation providing scientific resources and answers for
the growth and adaptations for the market place, as well as
providing data for the legislative and regulatory processes, have
been distinct and quantifiable assets. Numerous industries and
companies faced with similar challenges have tended to evaluate
research and development as expenses rather than an investment. It
is those same industries and companies that very quickly lose their
power of vision. In reality research is a vision to the future.
Vision has guided the FPRF research
mission since its inception in 1962. It is the participating members
that create and fosters the vision necessary to propel the forces to
adapt to changes. FPRF is poised with the opportunity to enter into
a new frontier for pursuing research and development visions for our
industry with a cooperative agreement for the establishment of an
Animal Co-Products Research and Education Center. Though the vision
has been ever present for nearly three years, reality requires that
the vision be in clear focus and driven by only a single vision. It
is not always a simple process to merge visions of an industry into
those of an academic institution. But it is with those merging and
massaging processes that results in a commitment to work together as
one to achieve that vision. The agreement and by-laws are not
consummated as of this writing but the “tincture of time” continues
to strengthen the bond.
The current FPRF research program
exemplifies a vision for a multidisciplinary forum by which any
research need can effectively be addressed within an investment the
industry can support.
- FPRF is currently investing in
15 individual projects at multiple research institutions to
address specific objectives.
- Though a Animal Co-Products
Research and Education Center has not been consummated, in total
9 inaugural projects are in progress at Clemson University
addressing FPRF Research Committee identified research
priorities that incorporate an interdisciplinary involvement of
several schools and departments on the Clemson campus.
- A collaborative working
relationship with public research institutions with a primary
emphasis with the Fats, Oils and Animal Co-Products Section of
USDA Eastern Agriculture Research Center is well established and
that relationship must continue.
- A collaborative working
relationship with international rendering organizations with
common research objectives and missions must be cultured.
These segments brings benefits for
the development of an enhanced FPRF marketing program for the
generation of additional resources to pursue the research needs for
the rendering industry. These resources are not limited to financial
support but more importantly bring forth informational exchanges
that continues to fine tune the vision for productive research and
development.
A research program cannot be judged
merely on its listing of initiated and completed projects. Its real
value must be quantified by the benefits derived by the industries
and the end users it serves. As I look back at the long success of
The Fats and Proteins Research Foundation, Inc. its unselfishness in
investing in research initiatives that are not just specific to
rendering has been notable. Its investment has provided
non-proprietary research answers for the benefit of an innumerable
listing of allied industries that range from food animal production,
industrial manufacturing and those that make our country and the
world a safer, more comfortable and enjoyable place to live.
It has become more evident through
the years that research is seldom appreciated unless its benefits
are made known in understandable language. Further that the
information is provided in a forum to reach the widest and most
targeted audience. In the past we could rely heavily on a core of
dedicated animal researchers and scientists at various institutions
for assistance in the information transfer process. It is still an
important venue but things have changed. Those resources have
diminished when compared to the past. In fact it has been an
alarming transition.
FPRF has responded. To convey that
message visually, FPRF has over the past few years redesigned and
become more of a foundation for visible research. Its Board of
Directors initiated a policy for a more balanced research agenda.
The Research Committee is now a multidisciplinary working group with
knowledge and vision to foster creative explorations. A “center”
that could cooperate with this creativity and provide a new core of
information transfer support and enhance its mission is visioned as
being essential. But using this past year as an example, the
foundation and the industry have achieved a higher level of
information and rendering support material published in a wide
variety of trade journals than any recent year. As examples, 11 in
animal and veterinary conference proceedings, 3 text book chapters,
Forum, Feedstuffs, Provisioner, Pet Food Industry, Feed Management,
AgriNews, Prairie Farmer, Hoards Dairyman, International Aqua Feed,
Meat and Poultry, Bovine Practitioners Journal and special
recognition to Render. The August 2004 edition and the reprint of
Rendering 101 has now been distributed and used in classroom
instruction in at least a dozen universities. Render continues to
get better. And so does FPRF.
During the past two years it has
been a real pleasure to work with your Chairman Don Davis. He has
certainly made FPRF better. Don has great business vision but he is
also so very supportive of doing things different. Being Chairman of
FPRF while running a business is a chore. One that Don has done very
effectively. We’ve had the best of working relationships and he’s
been there when I and the foundation needed him with his wisdom,
vision, decision-making qualities, sound judgment, economic savvy
and his friendship. Thanks much.
Thanks also must be extended to
Sandy, Chris and Dara. Their full-time commitment to part-time
positions cannot be duplicated.
It continues to be an honor to
represent the foundation and the rendering industry for the past
eleven years. I’ve got a lot of work to do in the next five months.
The foundation and our industry has a lot of work to do well into
the future. A viable research program positioned to sustain, support
and promote its products and process and the resources to
productively develop new uses and products must remain among the
highest priorities.
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