Benton Times

Congressmen Steve Womack (R-AR-3), Derek Schmidt (R-KS-2), and Josh Harder (D-CA-9) have introduced the Pet Food Uniform Regulatory Reform (PURR) Act of 2025 in the U.S. House of Representatives. The legislation aims to establish uniform standards for dog and cat pet food, as well as their labels, across the United States. This move is intended to modernize the regulatory framework that governs pet food manufacturing, allowing manufacturers to focus on improving nutritional benefits rather than navigating inconsistent regulations.

Congressman Womack stated, “With nearly 66% of U.S. households owning a pet, it’s important that the owners receive the best quality food to keep their pet healthy." He emphasized that current regulations are outdated and complicated, making it difficult for manufacturers to innovate. The PURR Act proposes granting sole authority to the FDA for regulating pet food labeling and marketing, removing state-by-state discrepancies.

Echoing these sentiments, Congressman Schmidt remarked, “Outdated, overbearing, and unnecessarily complicated regulations have stifled production and ingenuity across all American industries, including pet food.” He believes that uniform standards will empower businesses while ensuring access to quality nutrition for pets.

Congressman Harder added his support by noting his personal experience with fostering dogs: “As someone who’s fostered multiple dogs with my wife Pam, I know how important it is to trust the food we’re putting in their bowls.”

The U.S. pet food industry is expanding rapidly; exports have increased significantly in recent years. Despite this growth, the regulatory system governing sales and marketing has not been updated in about a century. The PURR Act seeks to eliminate confusion by establishing federal preemption provisions with the FDA as the main regulatory body.

The legislation has garnered support from several industry stakeholders. Scott Salmon from Simmons Pet Food commended Congressman Womack for reintroducing this bill, emphasizing its importance in replacing outdated systems with nationwide standards. Dana Brooks of the Pet Food Institute highlighted consumer expectations for high-quality products reflecting nutritional science advancements.

Chris Nash from Canada noted that streamlined processes would benefit trade efficiency between Canada and the United States. Celeste Powers of the Pet Industry Distributors Association pointed out that nationwide standards would reduce interstate commerce disruptions.

Mike Bober from Pet Advocacy Network praised national standards' potential impact on pets' access to science-based nutrition. Pete Scott from American Pet Products Association stressed modernizing regulations could enhance innovation within pet food manufacturing.

Vic Mason of World Pet Association expressed support for updating century-old systems favoring new ingredients reaching markets faster. Lastly, Steven Feldman from Human Animal Bond Research Institute acknowledged evolving regulatory needs due to changing market environments driven by increasing human-animal bonds.