TUCKER, GA. — The US Poultry & Egg Association’s (USPOULTRY) 2023 Protein & Fat Seminar brought together rendering professionals from across the country to meet in Nashville, Tenn., for a discussion on regulatory updates, process validations, wastewater treatment, customer expectations, effluent management and more.

A panel of industry experts addressed the universal challenge of turnover and explored strategies for recruitment and retention. Panel speakers included Ken Wilson, director of business solutions, 3D Corporate Solutions; Chad Freeman, plant manager in the 3D Corporate Solutions’ Monett, Mo., plant; Josh Singleton, plant manager in Tyson Foods’ Hanceville, Ala., plant; and Cody Gallagher, Pilgrim’s human resources director.

To increase an employee’s sense of belonging, the panelists discussed the importance of not only providing strong training opportunities but to also extend beyond the task by explaining how the training relates to the overall company strategy. Related to training, the panelists brought up the benefits of training on a one-on-one basis. Job fairs, sign-on bonuses, benefits being made available sooner than typical, sharing the time off schedule and relocation assistance were mentioned as a few ways to attract new employees.

In a presentation on wastewater treatment processes, Art Riddick, director of operations – protein, at Darling Ingredients Inc., Irving, Texas, reviewed general concepts and touched on primary and secondary treatment. Riddick emphasized the stepwise nature of treatment, noting the significance of prevention of issues since downstream processes rely on the quality of the incoming wastewater. He explained that exceeding the design capacity of a system will prevent it from working most effectively and can cause further issues. To avoid costly attempts to restore the system, Riddick advised wastewater operators to be vigilant for warning signs of trouble in their systems by carefully monitoring the various inputs.

A second panel spoke on the importance of fire safety and prevention. Speakers included Dan Crowe, director of operations protein for Pilgrim’s in Mt. Pleasant, Texas; Nathan Martin, safety & HR manager for Fieldale Farms in Baldwin, Ga.; and Barry Griffith, senior managing engineer with Tyson Foods. One of the most important considerations in preventing fires is housekeeping, according to the panel. They shared various points in the operation that are especially vulnerable if not well maintained and agreed that planning ahead for maintenance work was a key aspect of fire safety.

Carl Frame, technical services manager for Kemin Animal Nutrition, presented on technology and best practices to improve product quality and value. Frame said incoming raw material can be treated with organic acids. Acidification of the offal reduces microbial degradation, thus reducing odors and the production of noxious gases. Offering an overview of a research study, Frame described the effectiveness of various concentrations of these organic acids compared to untreated offal.