Chapter 16-250 & 16-252 WAC

On June 6, 2025, the Department adopted the following amendments:

Chapter 16-250 WAC, Commercial Feed Rules: 

• Adopting the 2025 version of the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) Official Publication (OP), clarifying areas of the rule regarding livestock feed and including additional categories of product types that were previously absent;
• Adopting the January 1, 2025 version of regulations under the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and 21 U.S.C. 301;
• Adding a definition and clarification for bona fide experimental feed;
• Clarifying information about submitting tonnage reports, including using forms prescribed by the Department to submit the reports, establishing that reports without fees may be submitted electronically, and providing a link to where the forms can be found on the Department’s website; and
• Adding a section that establishes the process to request refunds and the timeframe that the Department will issue the refund once the request has been approved.

Chapter 16-252 WAC, Commercial Feed Rules-Pet Food and Specialty Pet Food: 

• Adopting the 2025 version of the AAFCO OP, which includes language regarding Pet Food Label Modernization (PFLM) including but not limited to:
  • The requirements and formatting of pet and specialty pet food labels to be more familiar to consumers by mirroring human food labels to increase quick and consistent consumer understanding and transparency of the label;
  • Adding definitions for “Daily Food,” “Familial Household Unit,” “Food Mixer,” “Food Supplement,” “Pet Nutrition Facts,” “Specialty Pet Nutrition Facts,’ and “Veterinary Diet;” and
  • Allowing for a discretionary enforcement period of 6 years +/- to implement the labeling changes required by the amended rule.
• Adopting the January 1, 2025 version of regulations under the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and 21 U.S.C. 301;
• Clarifying information about submitting tonnage reports, including using forms prescribed by the Department to submit the reports, establishing that reports without fees may be submitted electronically, and providing a link to where the forms can be found on the Department’s website; and
• Adding a section that establishes the process to request refunds and the timeframe that the Department will issue the refund once the request has been approved.

Stakeholder engagement is a vital part of the department's rule making process and helps the department to determine the impacts on businesses, communities and vulnerable populations. We invite you to participate in the following opportunities to provide us with your input.
 

The department held a public hearing to receive information and comments regarding the proposed amendments on:

Written comments were to be submitted using one of the following ways:

Written submissions about the proposed rule may be inspected at:

Please contact Ashlee-Rose Ferguson to discuss implementation and enforcement of the amended rule.

By mail:
Ashlee-Rose Ferguson, Animal Feed Program Manager
Food Safety & Consumer Services Division
Washington State Dept. of Agriculture
PO Box 42560
Olympia, WA 98504-2560