WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King issued the following statement today regarding a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announcement that the administration will issue revised proposals for the handling of “spent grains” produced by brewers during the beer making process and used by farmers for livestock feed.

“We are glad to see FDA's announcement that it has heard the very practical concerns raised by small brewers and others over the proposed animal feed rule, and are encouraged by FDA's intention to correct course in the revised proposals,” Senators Collins and King said in a joint statement. “Putting a halt to this centuries-old practice of recycling defies common sense and would add unnecessary costs not only to small brewers but to farmers as well.”

“We've heard from trade groups and members of Congress, as well as individual breweries raising concerns that FDA might disrupt or even eliminate this practice by making brewers, distillers, and food manufacturers comply not only with human food safety requirements but also additional, redundant animal feed standards that would impose costs without adding value for food or feed safety,” the FDA said in a blog post today. “That, of course, would not make common sense, and we're not going to do it.”

Last month, Senators Collins and King sent a letter to FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg urging her to consider the economic effect of regulating spent grains. Senator Collins also raised this issue to Commissioner Hamburg this month during a Senate Appropriations Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration Subcommittee hearing.

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