FDA Backs Down on Spent Grain Rule Change

Most breweries sell their spent grain to farmers for feed and compost. Earlier this year, the FDA announced that the spent grains should be packaged to make it safe for the animals to eat, and therefor safe for humans to eat the animals.

There was a tumultuous uproar from brewers--From giant ABInbev all the way down to tiny Eola, Texas, home of Eola School and Bright Brewing.  It was an unprecedented display of industry cooperation.

The FDA has revised the rules to exclude spent grain. Since the breweries are already compliant with human food standards, the spent grain well be considered compliant with the animal food standards. This change means that breweries of any size do not have to spend thousands of dollars complying with the rules.