FDA Considers Backing Off New Spent Grain Regs

A new change in a proposed FDA regulation could mean good news for farmers in the Upper Valley.  The regulation in question regards controls for animal feed.  The original proposal would have made it more costly for brewers to sell or donate spent grain to farmers across the country.  A press release from Senator Lisa Murkowski’s office on Monday says that the FDA is now considering exempting brewers, and other businesses that are already licensed to produce food for humans, from the new animal feed rules.  Senator Murkowski as well as Senator Wyden from Oregon both signed a letter urging the FDA to make the changes.

Locally, that means that Denali Brewing Company could continue its program of donating spent grains to local farmers.  Denali Brewing General Manager Sassan Mossanen says that the company currently donates all of its spent grain to six local farms.  He estimates the total weight of the donated grain at over 400,000 pounds per year.  The revised regulation is open to public comment for seventy-five days, beginning on September 29th.