International Report By Martin Alm, President, World Renderers Organization
BSE—the Forgotten Unforgotten
In 2002, United States Secretary of Defense Donald
Rumsfeld enlightened the world with his famous statement,
͞dŚĞƌĞĂƌĞŬŶŽǁŶŬŶŽǁŶƐ͘͟dŚŝƐĐŽůƵŵŶ͕ŚŽǁĞǀĞƌ͕ŝƐŶŽƚĂďŽƵƚ
ƚŚĞĞǀŝĚĞŶĐĞŽĨ͞ǁĞĂƉŽŶƐŽĨŵĂƐƐĚĞƐƚƌƵĐƟŽŶ͕͟ďƵƚŝŶƐƚĞĂĚ
about bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) that led to
ŵĂƐƐĂŶŝŵĂůĚĞƐƚƌƵĐƟŽŶĨƌŽŵƚŚĞϭϵϴϬƐƚŽƚŚĞĞĂƌůLJϮϬϬϬƐ͕
mainly in Europe. BSE hit the meat industry and, subsequently,
renderers hard. Customer trust and margins were at record
lows. Over the past 20 to 30 years, however, trust recovered
and the disease disappeared to nearly zero cases annually
ǁŽƌůĚǁŝĚĞ͘/Ĩ^ŝƐĨŽƵŶĚŶŽǁ͕ŝƚŝƐŽŌĞŶĂƐŽͲĐĂůůĞĚ͞ĂƚLJƉŝĐĂů͟
case, which develops spontaneously (classical BSE responsible
for massive culling back in the 1990s is acknowledged to be
feed-induced). This has led renderers to the comfortable
assessment that BSE is gone or, as some say, “BSE is a disease of
ƚŚĞƉĂƐƚ͘͟^Ž͕ŽƵƚŽĨƐŝŐŚƚ͕ŽƵƚŽĨŵŝŶĚ͍EŽƚĂƚĂůů͘dŽƉŚƌĂƐĞŝƚ
ƐŝŵŝůĂƌƚŽZƵŵƐĨĞůĚ͛ƐƋƵŽƚĞ͕͞^ŝƐƚŚĞĨŽƌŐŽƩĞŶƵŶĨŽƌŐŽƩĞŶ͘͟
European policy on the safe use of animal proteins in feed
ŝƐƐƟůůŚĞĂǀŝůLJĚƌŝǀĞŶďLJ^DzƐůŽŶŐƐŚĂĚŽǁ͕ĚĞƐƉŝƚĞƌĞŵŽǀĂů
ƐĐŚĞŵĞƐ ĨŽƌ ĐĂƩůĞ ďƌĂŝŶƐ ĂŶĚ ƐƉŝŶĂů ĐŽƌĚƐ ƐƟůů ŝŶ ƉůĂĐĞ ŝŶ
ŵĂŶLJ ĐŽƵŶƚƌŝĞƐ͘ dŚĞ tŽƌůĚ KƌŐĂŶŝnjĂƟŽŶ ĨŽƌ ŶŝŵĂů ,ĞĂůƚŚ
;K/ͿĐůĂƐƐŝĮĞƐϱϬĐŽƵŶƚƌŝĞƐĂƚƚŚĞƐĂĨĞƐƚ^ůĞǀĞů͕ĐĂƚĞŐŽƌŝnjĞĚ
ĂƐ͞ŶĞŐůŝŐŝďůĞƌŝƐŬ͕͟ĂŶĚƐŝdžĐŽƵŶƚƌŝĞƐĂƐ͞ĐŽŶƚƌŽůůĞĚƌŝƐŬ͘͟ůů
other countries, over 100, are categorized as “undetermined
ƌŝƐŬ͟ĨŽƌ^͕ŵŽƐƚůLJĚƵĞƚŽŶŽŵĞĂƐƵƌŝŶŐƐLJƐƚĞŵƐŝŶƉůĂĐĞ͕
ƐŽƚŚĞLJĂƌĞĂŬŶŽǁŶƵŶŬŶŽǁŶ͘dŚĞƐŝdžĐŽƵŶƚƌŝĞƐĐĂƚĞŐŽƌŝnjĞĚ
as controlled risk will most likely reach negligible risk soon.
^ŝƐƐƟůůƉƌĞƐĞŶƚŐůŽďĂůůLJĂŶĚŶŽƚĞƌĂĚŝĐĂƚĞĚ͘K/ŚĂƐ
been revising its BSE chapter for nearly two years based on
the newest developments and science. The World Renderers
KƌŐĂŶŝnjĂƟŽŶ;tZKͿĐŽŵŵĞŶƚĞĚŝŶŝƚƐƐĞĐŽŶĚůĞƩĞƌŽŶƚŚĞƐĞ
ĐŚĂŶŐĞƐ͘dŚĞĨŽůůŽǁŝŶŐƉŽŝŶƚƐK/ŝƐĞǀĂůƵĂƟŶŐĂƌĞǁŽƌƌŝƐŽŵĞ͗
1) To consider atypical BSE as a parameter for risk
assessment͘EŽĂŵƉůŝĮĐĂƟŽŶŽĨĂƚLJƉŝĐĂů^ĐĂƐĞƐ
ŚĂƐďĞĞŶƌĞĐŽƌĚĞĚ͘/ŶĂƌĞǀŝĞǁŽĨ^ĐĂƐĞƐ͕ƐĐŝĞŶƟƐƚƐ
proved that the incidence of atypical cases remained
ůŽǁ͕ƐƚĂƟŶŐƚŚĞLJ͞ƐĞĞŵƚŽŽĐĐƵƌŝŶĚĞƉĞŶĚĞŶƚůLJŽĨ
ƚŚĞĐůĂƐƐŝĐĂů^ƐŝƚƵĂƟŽŶŝŶĂĐŽƵŶƚƌLJ͕ĂŶĚĂůŵŽƐƚ
ĞdžĐůƵƐŝǀĞůLJŝŶĐĂƩůĞŽǀĞƌĞŝŐŚƚLJĞĂƌƐŽĨĂŐĞ͘͟
2) Restricted trade of ruminant animal proteins. It is
proposed that rendered ruminant meals only be
traded if they come from countries acknowledged
ĂƐŶĞŐůŝŐŝďůĞƌŝƐŬĨŽƌ^ĂƚƚŚĞƟŵĞŽĨƚŚĞĂŶŝŵĂů͛Ɛ
birth. This proposal would mean only proteins from
ƌƵŵŝŶĂŶƚƐďŽƌŶĂŌĞƌĂĐŽƵŶƚƌLJƌĞĐĞŝǀĞĚĂŶĞŐůŝŐŝďůĞ
ƌŝƐŬƐƚĂƚƵƐ ĐĂŶ ďĞĞdžƉŽƌƚĞĚ͘ ZƵŵŝŶĂŶƚŵĞĂůƐĨƌŽŵ
older animals will have to be used in the negligiblerisk
country itself. Even if countries are already
ĐůĂƐƐŝĮĞĚĂƐŶĞŐůŝŐŝďůĞƌŝƐŬĂŶĚŚĂƌĚůLJĂŶLJĂŶŝŵĂůƐ
ĂƌĞŽůĚĞŶŽƵŐŚƚŽĮƚƚŚĞŶĞǁĚĞĮŶŝƟŽŶ͕tZKŝƐŽĨ
the opinion this by-product tracking system would be
impossible to implement, even in the most developed
countries. Slaughterhouses and meat processors
ǁŽƵůĚŚĂǀĞƚŽƌĞƚƌŽĮƚƚŚĞŝƌďLJͲƉƌŽĚƵĐƚƐLJƐƚĞŵƐƚŽ
ŐƵĂƌĂŶƚĞĞ Ă ŚŝŐŚůLJ ǀĂůƵĂďůĞ ͞ĞdžƉŽƌƚĂďůĞ͟ ƉƌŽĚƵĐƚ͘
Moreover, tracking would not be possible for byproducts
collected from retailers and supermarkets.
ĚĚŝƟŽŶĂůůLJ͕ƌĞŶĚĞƌĞƌƐǁŽƵůĚŚĂǀĞƚŽŽīĞƌƐĞƉĂƌĂƚĞ
ƌĞŶĚĞƌŝŶŐ ůŝŶĞƐ ĂŶĚ ƚƌĂŶƐƉŽƌƚĂƟŽŶ͘ dŚŝƐ ƉƌŽƉŽƐĂů
could result in either a bureaucratic supervision
disaster or disregard of OIE guidelines.
dŽ ĐůĂƌŝĨLJ ƚŚĞ ƉƌŽďĂďŝůŝƚLJ ŽĨ ŝŶĨĞĐƟŽŶ ďLJ K/͛Ɛ ƐĞĐŽŶĚ
point above: Before being categorized as negligible risk, a
country has to be free of any classical BSE cases for 11 years.
dŚŝƐ ƐƵƉĞƌͲƐĞŶƐŝƟǀŝƚLJ ŝƐ ŶŽƚ ŶĞĐĞƐƐĂƌLJ͕ ĞƐƉĞĐŝĂůůLJ ǁŚĞŶ ƌŝƐŬ
ŵĂƚĞƌŝĂůŝƐƌĞŵŽǀĞĚ͘ZĂǁĂŶŝŵĂůďLJͲƉƌŽĚƵĐƚƐĂŶĚƚŚĞƌĞƐƵůƟŶŐ
rendered products must be considered as safe. Moreover, for
ƚŚŽƐĞĐŽƵŶƚƌŝĞƐƚŚĂƚĂƌĞƐƟůůĐĂƚĞŐŽƌŝnjĞĚĂƐĐŽŶƚƌŽůůĞĚƌŝƐŬ͕ŝƚ
ǁŽƵůĚŵĞĂŶĂůŽŶŐǁĂLJďĂĐŬƚŽĞdžƉŽƌƟŶŐƌƵŵŝŶĂŶƚƉƌŽƚĞŝŶƐ͘
Since the BSE crisis, there is a worldwide awareness of
ƚŚĞ͞ƌƵŵŝŶĂŶƚƚŽƌƵŵŝŶĂŶƚ͟ĨĞĞĚŝŶŐďĂŶŽĨĂŶŝŵĂůƉƌŽƚĞŝŶƐ͘
dŚŝƐŶĞǁĂƉƉƌŽĂĐŚK/ŝƐŶŽǁĐŽŶƐŝĚĞƌŝŶŐŝƐŚLJƉĞƌƐĞŶƐŝƟǀĞ͕
overreactive, and clearly overestimates the risk. WRO
therefore calls on its members and all other renderers to
ĐŽŶƚĂĐƚƚŚĞŝƌĐŽƵŶƚƌLJ͛ƐĐŚŝĞĨǀĞƚĞƌŝŶĂƌLJŽĸĐĞƌƐƚŽƌĞĨƵƚĞƚŚĞƐĞ
ƉŽŝŶƚƐ͘dŚĞĚĞƚĂŝůĞĚůĞƩĞƌƚŽK/ĐĂŶďĞƌĞƋƵĞƐƚĞĚĨƌŽŵtZK͘
Food Systems Summit
KǀĞƌƚŚĞƉĂƐƚLJĞĂƌ͕ƚŚĞhŶŝƚĞĚEĂƟŽŶƐ;hEͿŝŶŝƟĂƚĞĚƚŚĞ
ϮϬϮϭ&ŽŽĚ^LJƐƚĞŵƐ^Ƶŵŵŝƚ;&^^ͿƚŽ͞ůĂƵŶĐŚďŽůĚŶĞǁĂĐƟŽŶƐ
to transform the way the world produces and consumes food,
ĚĞůŝǀĞƌŝŶŐƉƌŽŐƌĞƐƐŽŶĂůůϭϳƐƵƐƚĂŝŶĂďůĞĚĞǀĞůŽƉŵĞŶƚŐŽĂůƐ͘͟
Why the UN is now engaged in an issue that is normally well-
ĐŽǀĞƌĞĚĂŶĚĚƌŝǀĞŶďLJŝƚƐ&ŽŽĚĂŶĚŐƌŝĐƵůƚƵƌĞKƌŐĂŶŝnjĂƟŽŶ
is a known unknown. The summit itself is organized by the
hE͕ďƵƚƚŚĞĮŶĂŶĐŝŶŐŵƵƐƚĐŽŵĞĨƌŽŵŝŶƚĞƌĞƐƚĞĚƉĂƌƟĞƐĂŶĚ
ƐƚĂŬĞŚŽůĚĞƌƐ͕ŝŵƉůLJŝŶŐƚŚĞŶĂƟŽŶƐƚŚĂƚĨŽƌŵƚŚĞhEŚĂǀĞŶŽ
ŝŶŇƵĞŶĐĞŝŶƚŚĞĚŝƐĐƵƐƐŝŽŶĂŶĚŽƵƚĐŽŵĞ͘ It is clear that the
outcome, coming from the UN, will be highly respected and
acknowledged. The former Rwandan agriculture minister Dr.
Agnes Kalibata is appointed to head the event.
KŶĞŽĨƚŚĞĨŽƵƌ͞ĂĐƟŽŶƚƌĂĐŬƐ͟ŽĨƚŚĞƐƵŵŵŝƚŝƐ͞ƐŚŝŌƚŽ
ƐƵƐƚĂŝŶĂďůĞĐŽŶƐƵŵƉƟŽŶƉĂƩĞƌŶƐ͘͟dŚĞĂĐƟŽŶƚƌĂĐŬĐŚĂŝƌŝƐ
'ƵŶŚŝůĚ^ƚŽƌĚĂůĞŶ͕ĂŶĞŶǀŝƌŽŶŵĞŶƚĂůĂĐƟǀŝƐƚĂŶĚĨŽƵŶĚĞƌŽĨ
ƚŚĞd&ŽƵŶĚĂƟŽŶ͕ƚŚĞĚƌŝǀŝŶŐĨŽƌĐĞďĞŚŝŶĚƚŚĞdͲ>ĂŶĐĞƚ
ŽŵŵŝƐƐŝŽŶƌĞƉŽƌƚ͘dŚĞƌĞƉŽƌƚŚĂƐďĞĞŶŚŝŐŚůLJĐƌŝƟĐŝnjĞĚĨŽƌ
ƉƌŽŵŽƟŶŐǀĞŐĂŶŝƐŵďLJĞŶĐŽƵƌĂŐŝŶŐƚŚĞƌĞĚƵĐƟŽŶŽĨŐůŽďĂů
ŵĞĂƚĐŽŶƐƵŵƉƟŽŶďLJƵƉƚŽϵϬƉĞƌĐĞŶƚ͘
WRO cosigned a letter of the global livestock chain
ŽƌŐĂŶŝnjĂƟŽŶƐ ĐŽǀĞƌŝŶŐ ŵĞĂƚ͕ ƉŽƵůƚƌLJ͕ ĞŐŐ͕ ŵŝůŬ͕ ĨĞĞĚ͕ ĂŶĚ
veterinary medicines to Kalibata, the FSS special envoy. The
ĂŝŵŽĨƚŚĞůĞƩĞƌŝƐƚŽ͞ĞŶƐƵƌĞƚŚĞǀŽŝĐĞŽĨƚŚĞůŝǀĞƐƚŽĐŬĐŚĂŝŶ
is heard more prominently as a key sector, which contributes
ƚŽďĞƩĞƌŶƵƚƌŝƟŽŶ͕ŵŽƌĞƐƵƐƚĂŝŶĂďůĞƉƌŽĚƵĐƟŽŶ͕ĂŶĚďĞƩĞƌ
ůŝǀĞůŝŚŽŽĚƐ ƚŚƌŽƵŐŚ ĂŶŝŵĂů ƉƌŽĚƵĐƚƐ͘͟ dŚĞ ĮƌƐƚ ǀŝƌƚƵĂů &^^
ŵĞĞƟŶŐǁĂƐƐĐŚĞĚƵůĞĚĨŽƌƚŚĞĞŶĚŽĨDĂƌĐŚ͘ R
52 April 2021 Render www.rendermagazine.com
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