After “a lifetime” within the animal agriculture trade, and greater than 18 years on the North American Renderers Affiliation (previously Nationwide Renderers Affiliation), Dr. David L. Meeker, Ph.D., M.B.A., NARA’s senior vp, and director of analysis for the Fat and Analysis Basis, is retiring on the finish of the 12 months.
Dr. Meeker beforehand served in scientific and administration positions on the Nationwide Turkey Federation and Nationwide Pork Producers Council, served as director of the Board on Agriculture and Pure Sources on the Nationwide Academy of Sciences, and was an affiliate professor at The Ohio State College.
Over the previous three a long time, he has been an advisor to quite a few governmental, skilled, and enterprise organizations within the U.S. and internationally. He’s previous president of the U.S. Animal Well being Affiliation, a member of the scientific advisory panel of the World Renderers Group (WRO). He’s additionally a former member of the USDA Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Animal Well being.
Throughout his time with NARA, he served because the scientific and technical advisor to the North American rendering trade on science, animal illness, and feed issues of safety, and likewise served as Director of Analysis for NARA’s analysis arm, the Fat and Proteins Analysis Basis (FPRF). In his function as FPRF analysis director he was instrumental to applications and analysis performed by the muse to incorporate designing the the plan for NARA to handle FPRF for elevated administrative efficiencies and helping in increasing the muse’s donor base.
Dr. Meeker has launched and managed a number of profitable applications and initiatives throughout his tenure at NARA. He has efficiently navigated the affiliation by means of quite a few negotiations together with FDA rulemaking regarding bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), in addition to rulemaking for the Meals Security Modernization Act (FSMA). He helped to information NARA and its members by means of a number of salmonella, poultry and swine illnesses unfairly being blamed on rendered merchandise, and likewise initiated a collaborative analysis effort that resulted within the creation of the Pet Meals Alliance.
“Dr. Meeker’s work has been instrumental to our group,” NARA and FPRF President and CEO Kent Swisher mentioned. “We recognize his time and dedication to NARA and FPRF and want him all the perfect in his retirement.”
Meeker commented, “Working for renderers at NARA has been the perfect of all of the roles I’ve had in science and agriculture. I’ll miss the day-to-day relationships with the fantastic folks of this trade, and its stakeholders.”
In his retirement David seems to be ahead to having fun with time together with his household, touring, consulting, biking, and “slowing down.”
Dr. Meeker’s final day shall be December 31, 2022.
NARA management has chosen a substitute for the place who will take over the function after Dr. Meeker departs in December. NARA will difficulty an official announcement of the choice earlier than the tip of the 12 months.
