The 2023 Protein & Fat Seminar, hosted by the US Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY), convened rendering professionals from across the nation in Nashville, Tenn., for a comprehensive discussion encompassing regulatory updates, process validations, wastewater treatment, customer expectations, and effluent management, among other crucial topics.
During the seminar, a panel of industry experts delved into the persistent challenge of employee turnover and explored effective strategies for recruitment and retention. The panel featured prominent speakers including Ken Wilson, Director of Business Solutions at 3D Corporate Solutions; Chad Freeman, Plant Manager at 3D Corporate Solutions’ facility in Monett, Mo.; Josh Singleton, Plant Manager at Tyson Foods’ Hanceville, Ala., plant; and Cody Gallagher, the Human Resources Director at Pilgrim’s.
The panelists underscored the significance of providing not just robust training opportunities but also of aligning training with the overarching company strategy to foster a sense of belonging among employees. They shared insights on the benefits of one-on-one training and discussed various approaches to attract new talent, including hosting job fairs, offering sign-on bonuses, accelerating the availability of benefits, sharing time-off schedules, and providing relocation assistance.
Art Riddick, Director of Operations – Protein at Darling Ingredients Inc. in Irving, Texas, delivered an informative presentation on wastewater treatment processes, covering essential concepts and the primary and secondary treatment phases. Riddick emphasized the stepwise nature of treatment and the crucial importance of preventing issues since the quality of incoming wastewater directly impacts downstream processes. He advised wastewater operators to maintain vigilant monitoring of their systems to identify warning signs and prevent costly restoration attempts.
A second panel focused on the vital aspects of fire safety and prevention. The panel featured experts including Dan Crowe, Director of Operations Protein at Pilgrim’s in Mt. Pleasant, Texas; Nathan Martin, Safety & HR Manager for Fieldale Farms in Baldwin, Ga.; and Barry Griffith, Senior Managing Engineer at Tyson Foods. The panel stressed the pivotal role of proper housekeeping in fire prevention and highlighted specific areas that require diligent maintenance. Planning ahead for maintenance work was also identified as a key element in ensuring fire safety.
Carl Frame, Technical Services Manager for Kemin Animal Nutrition, presented on technology and best practices aimed at improving product quality and value. Frame discussed the treatment of incoming raw materials with organic acids, which effectively reduces microbial degradation, eliminates odors, and minimizes the production of noxious gases in offal. He also shared findings from a research study that compared the effectiveness of various concentrations of organic acids to untreated offal.
