SE Kansas News

Reps. Jake LaTurner, Henry Cuellar, and Steve Womack introduced the Pet Food Uniform Regulatory Reform Act of 2024 (PURR Act) in the House of Representatives. The act aims to set uniform standards for dog and cat pet food labels across the country. LaTurner expressed, "I am proud to introduce the bipartisan PURR Act to eliminate red tape and allow pet food makers to deliver the best nutritional outcomes for our dogs and cats."

Womack highlighted the need for regulatory clarity in the pet food industry, stating, "The PURR Act's regulatory clarity will help meet the needs of today's pet owners and pet food makers."

The Pet Food Uniform Regulatory Reform Act of 2024 seeks to streamline the regulatory system by granting sole authority to the FDA to regulate the labeling and marketing of pet food, eliminating the state-by-state regulatory patchwork. The act also sets updated labeling and ingredient standards based on guidance from AAFCO.

Various organizations have shown support for the PURR Act, including the American Pet Products Association, Pet Advocacy Network, Pet Food Institute, Pet Industry Distributors Association, Human Animal Bond Research Institute, and World Pet Association.

Dana Brooks, President and CEO of the Pet Food Institute, emphasized the importance of consistent national standards for pet foods, stating, "To continue delivering on that commitment, we are supporting federal legislation that would replace the current inefficient patchwork approach between states and the federal government."

The Pet Food Association of Canada also expressed support for the legislation, with Executive Director Chris Nash noting, "This proposed legislation will streamline the process and make things much more efficient and simplified for pet food trade."

Celeste Powers, President of the Pet Industry Distributors Association, highlighted the need for nationwide standards to eliminate interstate commerce disruptions and help distributors move pet food products more efficiently through the supply chain.

Mike Bober, President & CEO of the Pet Advocacy Network, stated, "The PURR Act will strengthen the pet community’s access to the latest in science-based nutrition to care for our beloved companion animals."

Various other organizations, such as the World Pet Association and the Human Animal Bond Research Institute, have also expressed support for the PURR Act, emphasizing the importance of modernizing pet food regulations to meet the needs of today's pet owners and manufacturers.

The American Pet Products Association (APPA) shared statistics showing the significant size of the pet industry, with projected sales for pet food and treats estimated to be $62.7 billion in 2023. Peter Scott, APPA President and CEO, emphasized that the PURR Act establishes a transparent and streamlined approach for regulating pet food, benefiting the entire pet industry and pet owners.