WAC 16-252-025   Label information and recordkeeping requirements.  (1) Labels for pet food must contain the information in subsections (2) through (12) of this section. Labels for specialty pet food must contain the information in subsections (2) through (11) of this section. Information in subsections (2) through (6) of this section must be on the principal display panel for both pet food and specialty pet food.

Note:

Subsections (12) through (15) of this section apply to pet food only. All other sections apply to both pet food and specialty pet food.

     (2) Product name and brand name, if any, on the principal display panel consistent with requirements in WAC 16-252-040.

     (3) Information required by WAC 16-252-042 if the product contains a drug.

     (4) The species of pet (dog or cat), or specialty pet, for which the food is intended conspicuously stated in words on the principal display panel.

     (5) A quantity statement on the principal display panel.

     (6) If enzymatic activity related to the product is represented in any manner, the principal display panel must include a statement explaining the purpose of that enzymatic activity.

     (7)(a) Guaranteed analysis consistent with requirements in WAC 16-252-061 for pet food; or

     (b) Guaranteed analysis consistent with requirements in WAC 16-252-062 or 16-252-065 for specialty pet food.

     (8) An ingredient statement that is consistent with the requirements in WAC 16-252-090.

     (9) Feeding directions and precautionary statements if required under WAC 16-252-100.

     (10)(a) The label of a pet food or specialty pet food must specify the name and address of the manufacturer or person responsible for distributing the feed. The statement of the place of business must include the street address, city, state, and zip code. However, the street address may be omitted if the street address is shown in a current city directory or telephone directory for the city listed on the label.

     (b) When a person manufactures or distributes a pet food or specialty pet food in a place other than the principal place of business, the label may state the principal place of business in lieu of the actual place where each package was manufactured, packaged or distributed.

     (11)(a) Lot identifier that is sufficient to allow the manufacturer to accurately trace the complete manufacturing and distribution history of the product.

     (b) Records relating the lot identifier to the manufacture, processing, packing, distribution, receipt, or holding of the product must be kept for one year after the last date of distribution.

Note:

Subsections (12) through (15) of this section apply to pet food only. All other subsections apply to both pet food and specialty pet food.

     (12)(a) Except when a pet food is clearly and conspicuously identified on the principal display panel as a "snack" or "treat," pet food labels must include a statement of nutritional adequacy or purpose of the product.

     (b) The nutritional adequacy statement must read as shown in (b)(i), (ii), or (iii) of this subsection with the blanks filled in with the stage or stages of the pet's life, such as, "gestation/lactation," "growth," "maintenance," or "all life stages."

     (i) "(Name of product) is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO dog (or cat) food nutrient profiles for. . . . . . "; or

     (ii) "Animal feeding tests using AAFCO procedures substantiate that (name of product) provides complete and balanced nutrition for. . . . . . "; or

     (iii) "(Name of product) provides complete and balanced nutrition for. . . . . . and is comparable in nutritional adequacy to a product that has been substantiated using AAFCO feeding tests."

     (13) The use of the word "proven" in connection with a label claim for a pet food is not permitted unless the claim is substantiated by scientific or other empirical evidence.

     (14) The label of a pet food intended for all life stages may include an unqualified claim, directly or indirectly, such as "complete and balanced," "perfect," "scientific" or "one hundred percent nutritious" if at least one of the following apply:

     (a) The product meets the nutrient requirements for all life stages established by an AAFCO-recognized nutrient profile published in the Association of American Feed Control Officials official publication; or

     (b) The product meets the criteria for all life stages as substantiated by completion of the appropriate AAFCO-recognized animal feeding protocols published in the Association of American Feed Control Officials official publication; or

     (c) The product is a member of a product family, which is nutritionally similar to a lead product containing a combination of ingredients that has been fed, as the sole source of nourishment, to a normal animal according to testing procedures published in the Association of American Feed Control Officials official publication.

     (i) The nutritional similarity of the family product can be substantiated according to the Procedures for Establishing Pet Food Product Families developed by AAFCO; and

     (ii) The family product meets the criteria for all life stages; and

     (iii) Under circumstances of reasonable doubt, the department may require the manufacturer to perform additional testing of the family product in order to substantiate the claim of nutritional adequacy.

     (15) A pet food, intended for a limited purpose or specific life stage (but not all life stages), may include a direct or indirect qualified claim such as "complete and balanced," "perfect," "scientific" or "one hundred percent nutritious" when the product and claim comply with all of the following:

     (a) A statement qualifying the claim must clearly identify the limited purpose or life stage for which the product is intended or suitable. For example, when the label reads "complete and balanced for puppies (or kittens)."

     (b) The claim and the qualification must be next to each other, on the same label panel and in the same size, style, and color print; and

     (c) The product must comply with at least one of the following:

     (i) The nutrient requirements, established by an AAFCO-recognized nutrient profile, for the limited purpose or specific life stage; or

     (ii) The criteria for a limited purpose or a specific life stage that are substantiated by completion of an appropriate AAFCO-recognized animal feeding protocol(s); or

     (iii) The requirement of a product family that is nutritionally similar to a lead product and contains a combination of ingredients, which by adequate testing has demonstrated they satisfy the nutrient requirements for such a limited purpose.

     (A) The nutritional similarity of the family product must be substantiated according to the Procedures for Establishing Pet Food Product Families developed by AAFCO; and

     (B) The family product meets the criteria for such limited purpose; and

     (C) If it has reasonable doubt, the department may require the manufacturer perform additional testing on the family product to substantiate the claim of nutritional adequacy.

     (16) When pet food or specialty pet food enclosed in an outer container or wrapper is intended for retail sale, all required label information must appear on the outer container or wrapper.

     (17) Graphic or pictorial representation or design (for example, pictures of animals or birds) of any kind must not be attached to, appear on, or distributed with pet food or specialty pet food if the material or design is misleading, incorrect, or at variance in any respect with the information required on the label.

     (18)(a) Statements referring to a competitive product or comparing the properties of a packaged food to those of a competitive product must not appear on a label unless the competitive product is specifically identified.

     (b) Negative statements regarding a competitive product must not appear on a label unless the director determines that the information provided by the statements is beneficial to the product's purchaser.

     (c) False or misleading comparisons with other products must not appear on the label or labeling of any pet food product.

     (d) A statement on a pet food or specialty pet food label stating preference or comparative attribute claims must be substantiated and limited to one year production, after which the claim must be removed or resubstantiated.

     (19) A personal or commercial endorsement is permitted on a pet food or specialty pet food label, provided the endorsement is not false or misleading.

     (20) A statement on a pet food or specialty pet food label stating "improved," "new," or similar designation must be substantiated and limited to six months production.

     (21) When a flavor designation is included as part of the product name, or elsewhere on the label of a pet food or specialty pet food, it must meet the requirements in (a), (b), and (c) of this subsection.

     (a) The flavor designation must:

     (i) Conform to the name of the ingredient as listed in the ingredient statement; or

     (ii) Be identified by the source of the flavor in the ingredient statement.

     (b) The word "flavor" must be printed in the same size type and with an equal degree of conspicuousness as the name of the flavor designation.

     (c) Substantiation of the flavor designation, the flavor claim, or the ingredient source must be provided to the department upon request.

     (22) Distressed or salvage pet food or specialty pet food that contains, or may contain, prohibited mammalian protein must be labeled with the Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy precautionary statement "do not feed to cattle or other ruminants."

     (23) In addition to the requirements of this chapter, if the term "organic" is used on labels of any pet food or specialty pet food, it must be produced under conditions that comply with the 2001 National Organic Program final rule standards for the production and handling of organic crops, livestock and processed food products. The 2001 National Organic Program final rule may be obtained from the department, or on the internet at http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/NOP/standards.html.

     (24) All required label information must be stated in English. In addition, label information may be translated into other languages. However, if the label is translated into another language, then the translation must give the same information as the English version of the label.



[Statutory Authority: Chapters 15.53 and 34.05 RCW. 03-23-129, § 16-252-025, filed 11/19/03, effective 7/1/04.]