PURR Act of 2024

Summary · Congressional Research Service (nonpartisan)

This bill establishes the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) as the sole regulatory authority over pet food for dogs and cats. It also provides certain flexibilities for pet food manufacturers with respect to the types of ingredients they may use and the associated labeling and marketing requirements. The bill specifies that no state or local government may establish, implement, or enforce any authority or requirement relating to pet food marketing or labeling and instead provides for oversight by the CVM. Additionally, the bill provides a presumption that pet food ingredients are generally recognized as safe (GRAS) if they are recognized as acceptable per the Association of American Feed Control Officials and the CVM does not find otherwise. Manufacturers may voluntarily notify the CVM of ingredients that are considered GRAS but that have not yet been specifically recognized as such. The bill also allows manufacturers to state, without prior approval, that their products (1) sometimes, but not always, have certain ingredients (e.g., flavors); (2) have certain health benefits (e.g., tartar control); or (3) are human grade or natural, if certain conditions are met.