Pet food label modernization is here (now states need to adopt it)

With a six-year grace period for compliance, the pet food industry has a lot of work ahead.

Louise Calderwood

April 15, 2024

New pet food labeling guidelines will bring nutrition labels in line with those on human food products.

New pet food labeling guidelines will bring nutrition labels in line with those on human food products.

Antonio_Diaz | iStock.com

Last summer (2023), following eight years of dedicated work by regulators, pet food manufacturers and trade organizations, such as the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA), the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) passed the most comprehensive revision to pet food regulations since the 1990s. The changes from the Pet Food Label Modernization (PFLM) effort will transform pet food packaging for the better, aligning it more closely with that found on human food. But the hard work is not over. Now it is time for state regulators to implement the necessary legislative or rulemaking steps for state adoption and enforcement within their authorities.

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