Kentucky Administrative Regulations
Title 12 - AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION
Chapter 3 - Pet Food
Section 12 KAR 3:012 - Labeling format and labeling
Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, March 1, 2024
RELATES TO: KRS 250.501, 250.521, 15 U.S.C. 1451-1461
NECESSITY, FUNCTION, AND CONFORMITY: KRS 250.571(1) authorizes the Director of the Agricultural Experiment Station to promulgate administrative regulations necessary for the efficient enforcement of KRS 250.491 to 250.631. KRS 250.521 requires that pet foods be labeled and establishes the information that shall be stated on the label. This administrative regulation establishes a uniform format for labeling information for pet foods and specialty pet foods and delineates criteria for product claims.
Section 1. Pet food and specialty pet food shall be labeled with:
Section 2. If a pet food or specialty pet food enclosed in an outer container or wrapper is intended for retail sale, all required label information shall appear on the outer container or wrapper.
Section 3. A vignette, graphic, or pictorial representation on a pet food or specialty pet food label shall not misrepresent the contents of the package.
Section 4. The word "proven," in connection with a label claim for a pet food or specialty pet food, shall not be used unless the claim is substantiated by scientific or other empirical evidence.
Section 5. A statement shall not appear upon the label or labeling of a pet food or specialty pet food that makes false or misleading comparisons between that product and any other product.
Section 6. A personal or commercial endorsement may be used on a pet food or specialty pet food label if the endorsement is not false or misleading.
Section 7. A statement on a pet food or specialty pet food label stating "improved," "new," or similar designation shall be substantiated and limited to six (6) months of production.
Section 8. A statement on a pet food or specialty pet food label stating preference or comparative attribute claims shall be substantiated and limited to one (1) year production, after which the claim shall be removed or re-substantiated.
Section 9.
Panel Size |
Minimum Warning Statement Type Size |
<=5 in.2 |
1/16 in. |
>5-<=25 in.2 |
1/8 in. |
>25-<=100in.2 |
3/16 in. |
>100-<=400in.2 |
1/4 in. |
>400 in.2 |
1/2 in. |
Section 10. The label of a pet food or specialty pet food shall specify the name and address of the manufacturer or distributor.
Section 11. If 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 of the pet food or specialty pet food was manufactured or packaged or from where each package is to be distributed.
Section 12. Incorporation by Reference.
STATUTORY AUTHORITY: KRS 250.521(2)(e), (f), 250.571