WAC 16-250-040   Product or brand name label information required for all commercial feeds except customer-formula feed.  The following label requirements apply to any commercial feed, except customer-formula feed, distributed under a product or brand name:

     (1) The brand or product name must be appropriate for the intended use of the feed and must not be misleading. If the name indicates the feed is made for a specific use, the character of the feed must conform to that use. For example, a mixture labeled "dairy feed" must be suitable for dairy animals.

     (2) When reviewing product names for single ingredient feeds, the department will be guided by the definitions of feed ingredients and feed terms established by the Association of American Feed Control Officials' official publication unless those definitions and terms are specifically defined in chapter 15.53 RCW or WAC 16-250-010 and 16-250-015.

     (3) Except for the circumstances described in subsection (4) of this section, the name of a commercial feed must not be derived from:

     (a) One or more ingredients of a mixture to the exclusion of the other ingredients; or

     (b) One component of a mixture unless all components are included in the name.

     (4) When a commercial feed contains any ingredient or combination of ingredients for the purpose of imparting a distinct characteristic to the product that is significant to the purchaser, the name of that ingredient or combination of ingredients may be used as part of the brand name or product name if the department determines that the:

     (a) Ingredient or combination of ingredients is present in sufficient quantity to impart a distinctive characteristic to the product;

     (b) Product name does not constitute a representation that the ingredient or combination of ingredients is present to the exclusion of other ingredients; and

     (c) Product name is not otherwise false or misleading.

     (5) The word "vitamin" or a contraction of it, or any word suggesting vitamin, can only be used in the name of a feed that is:

     (a) Represented to be a vitamin supplement; and

     (b) Labeled with the minimum content, as specified in WAC 16-250-073, of each vitamin declared.

     (6) The term "mineralized" may only be used in a feed name for "trace mineralized salt" and must not be used in the name of any other feed. "Trace mineralized salt" must contain significant amounts of trace minerals that are recognized as essential for animal nutrition.

     (7)(a) If a brand name includes a single percentage value without explanation, the percentage value must signify the feed's crude protein content. For example, "BLUE BIRD FEEDS 18% Dairy Feed" means that the feed contains eighteen percent crude protein.

     (b) If a brand name includes a single percentage value and the percentage does not represent crude protein content, the brand name must indicate what the percentage represents. For example, "BLUE BIRD FEEDS 2.0% Selenium Concentrate Premix."

     (c) If a brand name includes more than one percentage value, the percentage must be followed by a corresponding description. For example, "BLUE BIRD FEEDS 20% Crude Protein/20% Fat Calf Milk Replacer."

     (d) If the brand name contains either a percentage value that signifies crude protein or the word "protein," then the feed must contain no more than one and one-quarter percent nonprotein nitrogen.

     (8) Commercial feed must be considered a distinct brand if it differs in guaranteed analysis, trademark name, or any other characteristic method of marking. However, this requirement does not prevent a brand from being distributed in various physical forms.



[Statutory Authority: Chapters 15.53 and 34.05 RCW. 03-23-128, § 16-250-040, filed 11/19/03, effective 7/1/04.]