NARA names 2026 rendering scholarship recipients
Bottom line
The North American Renderers Association has named Carmen Howard and Audreanna Brown as the 2026 recipients of its Rendering Scholarship, a program now in its second year. Howard is a senior at Unity Environmental University studying animal science with an emphasis in sustainable livestock management, while Brown is starting at Tuskegee University in animal and veterinary sciences and plans a career in veterinary medicine. NARA said the scholarship is meant to support students interested in rendering’s role in sustainability, agriculture, animal nutrition, and the circular economy. (nara.org)
Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the announcement is a small but notable signal about workforce development around animal agriculture, feed, pet food, and sustainability. Rendering remains a key part of the animal health and nutrition ecosystem because it converts animal byproducts into ingredients used in animal feed and pet food, and industry groups increasingly frame that work through One Health, food waste reduction, and resource efficiency. Brown’s stated interest in veterinary medicine also puts the scholarship closer to the veterinary pipeline than a typical industry education award. (nara.org)
What to watch: Watch whether NARA expands the program further in 2027 after indicating earlier in 2026 that it could award up to three scholarships this cycle. (petfoodprocessing.net)
The North American Renderers Association, or NARA, has announced Carmen Howard and Audreanna Brown as the 2026 recipients of its Rendering Scholarship, underscoring the group’s push to build awareness of rendering among students entering animal agriculture, sustainability, nutrition, and veterinary-adjacent fields. Howard studies animal science at Unity Environmental University, and Brown will begin animal and veterinary sciences studies at Tuskegee University this fall with plans to pursue veterinary medicine. (nara.org)
The scholarship is still new. NARA launched its first rendering scholarship in April 2025 in connection with National Rendering Day, positioning the program as both financial support and an outreach tool for an industry that often operates behind the scenes. The original call for applications welcomed students from agriculture, environmental science, animal science, food systems, and sustainability-related programs, asking them to respond to the prompt, “Why is rendering important in today’s world?” (nara.org)
In announcing the 2026 winners on August 19, 2026, NARA said the scholarship is designed to recognize students who understand rendering’s role in sustainability, agriculture, animal nutrition, and the circular economy. The association described rendering as a way to reclaim animal byproducts and convert them into useful products rather than sending those materials to landfills. According to NARA, those outputs include ingredients for animal feed and pet food, along with biofuels, fertilizers, and other products. (nara.org)
The two recipients reflect slightly different parts of that pipeline. Howard is focused on sustainable livestock management and expects to graduate in 2027. Brown, who expects to graduate in 2030, said the scholarship will support her path toward a future in veterinary medicine. That veterinary connection is especially relevant for The Herd’s audience because it links a rendering industry workforce initiative to the broader animal health talent pipeline. (nara.org)
NARA leadership framed the award as a long-term investment in industry capacity. In the press release, President and CEO Kent Swisher said supporting the next generation is an investment in the rendering industry’s future. Outside the announcement itself, recent educational outreach tied to NARA has emphasized rendering’s role in feed safety, pet food manufacturing, pathogen control, and One Health. A University of California, Davis CLEAR Center explainer published this year highlighted the industry’s use of FDA animal food compliance systems, microbial testing programs, and training that has also been opened to pet food professionals. (nara.org)
Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, this is less about the dollar amount of a scholarship and more about where industry groups are investing attention. Rendering sits at the intersection of animal agriculture, companion animal nutrition, food safety, environmental stewardship, and public health. Research and industry literature describe it as part of a circular bioeconomy that reduces waste and returns usable nutrients and fats into the supply chain. For clinicians, nutrition teams, and veterinary public health professionals, that means the sector is increasingly relevant not just as a background manufacturing process, but as part of larger conversations about sustainable pet food, feed ingredient sourcing, and One Health. (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
There’s also a workforce angle. Pet Food Processing reported earlier this year that NARA could award up to three scholarships in 2026, suggesting the association may be testing how large and visible it wants the program to become. If that expansion continues, veterinary and animal science educators may see more outreach from rendering and related sectors seeking students interested in nutrition, sustainability, and agricultural systems. (petfoodprocessing.net)
What to watch: The next signal will be whether NARA broadens the scholarship’s size or scope for the 2027 cycle, and whether it continues to draw applicants with direct veterinary ambitions, not just general agriculture or sustainability interests. (nara.org)