New York Codes, Rules and Regulations
Title 1 - DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND MARKETS
Chapter VI - Food Control
Subchapter C - Food and Food Products (article 17 Agriculture and Markets Law)
Part 257 - Manufacture And Distribution Of Commercial Feed
Section 257.17 - Label format for pet food and specialty pet food
Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 12, March 20, 2024
In addition to the requirements for commercial feed otherwise provided in this Part, the following requirements shall apply to pet food and specialty pet food:
(a) The statement of net weight, product name and brand name shall be shown on the principal display panel. All other required information may be placed elsewhere on the label, but shall be sufficiently conspicuous as to render it easily read by the average purchaser under ordinary conditions of purchase and sale.
(b) The declaration of the net weight shall be made in conformity with the Federal Fair Packaging and Labeling Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.
(c) The information which is required to appear in the "guaranteed analysis" shall be the following elements listed in the following order:
crude protein--minimum amount
crude fat--minimum amount
crude fiber--maximum amount
moisture--maximum amount
Additional guarantees, if any, shall follow "moisture."
(d) A vignette, graphic, or pictorial representation of any product on any pet food or specialty pet food label shall not misrepresent the contents of the package.
(e) The use of the word "proven" in connection with label claims for any pet food or specialty pet food is prohibited unless scientific or other empirical evidence establishing the claim represented as "proven" is available to the commissioner.
(f) No statement shall appear upon the label of any pet food or specialty pet food which makes false or misleading comparisons between that food and any other pet or specialty pet food.
(g) Personal or commercial endorsements are permitted on pet food or specialty pet food labels when said endorsements are factual and not otherwise misleading.
(h) The words "dog food", "cat food", or similar designation shall appear conspicuously upon the principal display panel of any pet food or specialty pet food label.
(i) The label of any pet food or specialty pet food shall not contain any unqualified representation or claim, directly or indirectly, that the pet food or specialty pet food therein contained, or a recommended feeding thereof, is or meets the requisites of a complete, scientific or balanced ration for any pet or specialty pet, unless such product or feeding:
(j) Labels for pet foods or specialty pet foods which are compounded for or which are suitable for only a limited purpose (for example, a product designed for the feeding of puppies) may contain representations that said product, or recommended feeding thereof, is or meets the requisites of a complete, scientific or balanced ration for pets or specialty pets, but only:
(k) Except as provided by section 257.18 of this Part, the name of any ingredient which appears on the label other than in the product name shall not be given undue emphasis so as to create the impression that such an ingredient is present in the product in a larger amount than is the fact, and if the names of more than one such ingredient are shown, they shall appear in the order of their respective predominance by weight in the product.