U.S. Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.) has written to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expressing concern about a proposed rule that could harm the craft brewing and livestock industries in Oregon. Gary Fish, founder and CEO of Deschutes Brewery in Bend said the ruling could do severe harm to both brewers and farmers as well as fill our landfills with what would otherwise be productive animal feed. The rule proposes to tightly regulate brewers’ “spent grains,” a byproduct of the beer-making process. It has long been common in the industry for brewers to sell or give the spent grains to ranchers for use as animal feed.
“The FDA’s recent rule proposes to regulate spent brewers grains as animal food, and brewers as feed manufacturers. The result of this could be a disaster for jobs and tourism in southern, central, and eastern Oregon. I urge you to reassess this one-size-fits-all proposed rule and work directly with members of the craft brewing and livestock industries so that food safety can be ensured, without putting these industries out of business,” Walden wrote to FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg.
Oregon brewers have been concerned about the proposed regulation. “The relationship between farmer and brewer has existed for millennia. I am not aware of a single incident in that time of food borne illness for either animal or human. This ruling could do severe harm to both brewers and farmers as well as fill our landfills with what would otherwise be productive animal feed. Thankfully there are leaders in Congress like Greg Walden who are lending sanity to this situation,” said Gary Fish, founder and CEO of Deschutes Brewery in Bend.
Walden helped found the U.S. House Small Brewers Caucus in 2007. According to the Oregon Brewers Guild, Oregon beer industries employ 6,400 full and part-time employees—an increase of 900 jobs from 2011. There are over a dozen breweries in Central Oregon, and four within the city limits of Hood River alone. The livestock industry in Oregon has been around for generations, and Oregon’s ranchers bring over $650 million into Oregon’s economy, according to the Oregon Department of Agriculture.
Full text of Walden’s letter
April 2, 2014
The Honorable Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D.Commissioner
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
10903 New Hampshire Avenue
Silver Spring, MD 20993
Dear Commissioner Hamburg, I am writing to express my concerns over the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) proposed rule that would severely impact both the craft brewing and livestock industries in my district. As you know, the FDA’s recent rule proposes to regulate spent brewers grains as animal food, and brewers as feed manufacturers. The result of this could be a disaster for jobs and tourism in southern, central, and eastern Oregon. I urge you to reassess this one-size-fits-all proposed rule and work directly with members of the craft brewing and livestock industries so that food safety can be ensured, without putting these industries out of business.
As you probably know, it is common practice in the brewing industry for brewers to utilize spent grain, a byproduct of the brewing process, as a food source for cattle. This has fostered many positive relationships between brewers and the cattle industry. With much of the West facing drought condition and tightening feed supplies, these relationships provide an additional feed source for some ranchers. The practice of brewers recycling their spent grain provides cattle producers a steady, reliable, and affordable food supply for their livestock. In some cases, the rancher then sells back the beef to supply brewery restaurants. This common sense “win-win” approach is the same spirit that has allowed Oregonians to thrive for generations.
Central Oregon has become known for its world-class breweries. This has been a great impact for tourism in Bend and has also been good for the Central Oregon economy. Currently there are over a dozen breweries in Central Oregon, employing hundreds of people. The cattle industry in my district also has been around for generations, and Oregon’s ranchers bring over $650 million into Oregon’s economy and provide jobs in rural communities. It is great to see such great synergy between an established industry and a new, growing industry.
However, the fact that the FDA would take such a drastic step that threatens the symbiotic relationship between these two industries is absurd. To my knowledge, there have not been recorded incidences where spent grains have caused harm to humans or cattle. Further, the fact that breweries already operate under numerous regulations and in a sterile environment raises questions about the need for such steps to be taken.
Again, I ask that you reconsider moving forward with this onerous rule, and work directly with the craft brewing and livestock industries to prevent damage to these businesses as you proceed with your efforts to ensure a safe food supply. Thank you in advance for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Greg Walden
U.S. Representative
Oregon’s Second District
