April 28, 2014

US FDA to revise livestock feed rules amid brewers' objections

In view of objections about the potential cost from brewers who sell grain leftover from making beer to ranchers and dairy farmers, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said it will revise proposed livestock feed rules.

Brewers say their grain is already covered by food safety rules for humans. High-quality grain left over from the brewing process provides an important source of protein and fibre for cows in the dairy industry, said John Kappelman, a long time farmer who now has a feed business in Port Washington, Wisconsin.

Livestock feed is generally safe, and the FDA is not aware of any problems with brewers' grain, McChesney said. The agency did not intend to force beer makers to come up with costly food safety plans, but it is concerned about potential contamination between the factory and the farm, he said.

MillerCoors official Steve Rockhold said his company sells grain to hundreds of farms around its breweries, and has been doing so since the late 1800s. The grain goes directly from the brewing kettle into a tank, where it's held before being trucked to farms.

The FDA plans to release revised rules this summer and will seek comments before issuing a final rule next year.