On July 31, the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) approved the new “Model Regulations for Pet Food and Specialty Pet Food” which set a new standard for pet food manufacturers and distributors to follow when developing pet food labels, including standardized nutrition information, clear ingredient statements, and storage and handling instructions. AAAFCO and stakeholders have been collaborating to develop revised pet food regulations since 2015 pursuant to the Pet Food Label Modernization (PFLM) project.

AAFCO hopes that the pet food label changes will enhance transparency and provide clearer information in a more consumer-friendly format and recommends a transition period of 6 years for the pet food industry to incorporate the label and packing changes to products. Key updates to pet food labels include the following:

• Nutrition Facts Box – Updated to resemble human-food labeling more closely.

• Intended Use Statement – Updated to new location on the lower-third of the front display panel to help consumers easily identify the purpose of the pet food.

• Ingredient Statement – Updated to clarify the use of consistent terminology and allow parentheticals and common or usual names for vitamins.

• Handling and Storage Instructions (optional) – Updated and standardized with optional icons for greater consistency.