Nebraska brewers, farmers blast federal grain safety proposal

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.omaha.com/article/20140406/NEWS/140409117/1016#nebraska-brewers-farmers-blast-federal-grain-safety-proposal

LINCOLN — Breweries in Nebraska say a federal proposal would force them to stop giving spent grains to local farmers to use as cattle feed.

Brewers and farmers say the practice is mutually beneficial. It gives farmers cheap and nutritious cattle feed, and the breweries no longer have to pay to have the spent grains hauled to a landfill.

The Food and Drug Administration wants to require brewers to meet the same standards that livestock and pet food manufacturers must meet, which include sanitary handling procedures, record-keeping and other food safety processes, the Lincoln Journal Star reported Thursday.

To meet those standards, breweries say they would have to dry the spent grains and package them before distributing them to farmers as feed.

FULL story at link.

[scarletwoman]

1. What do you want to bet that some lobbyists for agribusiness are behind this rule change?

Corn-growers make big bucks these days, I'm sure they're not about to put up with letting other feed sources provide a cheaper product.

[Brother Buzz]

2. Perhaps the brewers and farmers can beat the FDA at their own game....

and ship the expended malt grains at a nice hot sterilized temperature, right out of the mash tun after sparging.