WIVB - Lawmaker Pushes for Less Regulation of Craft Brewers

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By: Jenn Schranz

Congressman Chris Collins stopped by 42 North Brewing Company Friday to promote a bill aimed at helping the little guy in the beer game.
The Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act would, in short, take the heat of the FDA off small operations like 42 North.
Right now the FDA is implementing requirements for more calorie counts on beer, which means testing that many small breweries claim they can't afford.
Collins said having to repeat the tests seasonally would be a major financial burden on the growing craft beer industry.
"A lot of the craft brewers now are changing their formulations. Again, summer, spring, fall and winter, it's a different beer their producing," Collins said.
The bill would also cut down federal taxes for small brewing operations; for the first 60,000 barrels made, breweries would owe $3.50 instead of $7.00 per barrel.
After that, they'd have to pay $16 per barrel, instead of $18.
"What you've got is the EPA and the Obama administration getting in the way of job creation and small business so I'm certainly supporting the bill that would say let's get real here," Collins said, referencing an increased regulation of the beer industry.

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