Beacon Research Ltd. is a UK based research  & development consultancy. Stephen Woodgate is managing director. His original expertise of the consultancy was in animal (ruminant) nutrition, followed by a period of new animal feed product development. This area of work led him to join the rendering industry in 1984. His scientific background led to his appointment to the UK working group on BSE inactivation by EU rendering systems. He currently serves as Technical Director of European Fat Processing and Renderers Association (EFPRA).

Stephen Woodgate now has over 20 years of experience in many of the technical aspects of the worldwide animal by-products industry. In particular, he has been involved with the development of EFPRA’s Standing Technical Committee (STC) into a source of expertise that interfaces between industry, national governments and the EC. The overall objective is to ensure very high standards of human and animal health safety whilst maximising the economic value of animal by-products to the livestock industry. The key area of regulatory activity has been in relation to EU Legislators; DG Sanco [Animal by-products regulation and TSE regulation] and with DG’s Environment and Transport/ Energy in relation to uses of rendered products as energy sources.

Stephen also serves as a member of the scientific advisory panel (SAP) to the World Renderers Organisation (WRO) and is retained on the Technical Committee of the UK Renderers Association (UKRA).