Safety of "Spent" Grain at Issue
What happens to so-called spent grain? It's a natural byproduct of the brewing process. One New York Senator hopes to stop a new federal rule that would control its use.
Makers of specialty beers often sell or donate what's left of the grains used in the brewing process to feed farm animals. One business, C-B Craft Brewers in Honeoye, recently spent money on a new system so it could sell spent grain to nearby dairy farms.
Senator Charles Schumer says a proposed rule from the FDA could prevent these sales, increasing costs to farmers, and sending the grain to landfills.
The FDA says it's trying to prevent food-borne illness in animals and people. Schumer says there's no proof that's happened.
He'll be in Rochester Monday with local brewers and farmers to pledge to fight the new rule.