Obama Admin Makes New Rules on Grains, Breweries Rebel For generations brewers have been selling leftover brewing grains to farmers to feed to their livestock, but now the feds want to interfere and make that transaction harder and more expensive, a move that will drive up the costs of both beer and food.
But America's breweries and farmers are not taking this quietly.
"The whole brewing community was shocked about it," Josh Deth, co-owner of Revolution Brewing in Chicago, told Fox News.
Currently brewers make deals with farmers where the farmers cart off the used grains. Often the deal is done without cost to both parties.
"We're trading, giving something of value to each other and working it out. I think that's one of the really great things, and people really hate to see the government get involved in something where they can just as easily stay out of this," Deth said.
But under the new rules, the grains would be regulated like pet foods and would have to meet FDA regulations for food safety. These regulations would cost both farmers and brewers more than a handshake.
Naturally there isn't a single report in the entire history of these grain deals of harm coming to either livestock or humans. Regardless, regulators in Washington have found yet another thing to interfere in and, yet again, the feds want to stop Americans from doing something they've done since the country was young.
Along with the outrage caused among brewers and farmers, a few Congressmen have also questioned the FDA over why these sudden new rules are necessary, causing the FDA to take another look at the regulations.
"We are working to develop regulations that are responsive to the concerns expressed, practical for businesses, and that also help ensure that food for animals is safe and will not cause injury to animals or humans," the FDA said in a statement.
But if these new rules take effect at any level, it will essentially be just a new tax added to beer prices. According to the Tax Foundation, already some 40 percent of what we pay for beer is made up of taxes.
Worse, some sources also claim that these new rules will also drive up food prices beyond the price of beer.
Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) notes that if farmers have to pay more for feed it will drive up the costs of our food.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston or email the author at igcolonel@hotmail.com.