Many industries are asking the Food and Drug Administration to exempt American brewers from draft regulations under the Food Safety Modernization Act – according to DTN. The groups believe proposed livestock feed regulations would impose additional costs and make it difficult for producers to use spent grains for animal feed. The Beer Institute – one of the organizations opposing the rule – has worked for more than a year to present scientific-based arguments on this issue. Beer Institute Vice President of Communications Chris Thorne says the marketing of spent grains has been used for centuries. Since humans already consume beer – Thorne says the production is held to exceptionally high standards. He says the grains are produced in a swift, sanitary and safe manner – and often are consumed by animals within 24 hours of being separated from the beer. The institute has calculated the proposed rule would cost a single large brewery as much as 13.6-million dollars per year to comply.
The National Milk Producers Federation argues the proposed rule incorrectly imposes safety standards on animal feed similar to those for human food. NMPF Senior Vice President of Communications Chris Galen says the proposal is something FDA is creating when there isn’t a problem to correct – as feeding spent grains to cattle has never been demonstrated as a health concern. The deadline for a final, published rule is August 30, 2015.
Source: NAFB News service