Senator Chuck Schumer says a rule from the Food and Drug Administration will hurt New York brewers and farmers alike.
It would prevent brewers from selling or donating a by-product from the brewing process called "spent grain" without implement costly health safety measures.
Farmers use the grain to feed their livestock.
He says the rule is part of the Food Safety Modernization Act, and is designed to prevent food-borne illnesses in humans and animals.
But Schumer and some area farmers maintain there's no evidence spent grain has had a harmful effect on either animals or people.
Schumer spoke at local brewer Rohrbach's, where owner John Urlaub says they've been donating spent grain for years.
He says the rule would force his small brewery to ship to a landfill at a high cost.
He says that would negatively impact the environment, drive up costs and hurt area farmers.
Schumer has written to the FDA asking them to consider the negative impact of the rule.
If the FDA doesn't, he says he'll introduce legislation to undo it.
