H.R. 597 — PURR Act of 2025

This section provides the short title of the Act as the “Pet Food Uniform Regulatory Reform Act of 2025” or the “PURR Act of 2025” and includes the table of contents.

This section sets forth congressional findings on the growth of the U.S. pet food industry (including double-digit export increases and purchases of nearly $7 billion in agricultural products annually), rising pet ownership and demand for tailored nutrition, inconsistencies in prior state-based regulations originally designed for livestock feed, and benefits of a uniform federal regulatory framework for manufacturing, ingredient approvals, labeling, and sales (i.e., greater innovation, marketplace certainty, and nationwide availability of safe, nutritious pet food).

This section establishes new pet food regulations under section 425 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act for food manufactured for companion animals (i.e., domesticated dogs or cats), including treats, nutritional supplements, and ingredients. Specifically, it (1) preempts state and local requirements on pet food labels, labeling, and advertising (except food safety oversight such as under the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act); (2) deems ingredients listed in chapter 6 of the 2024 AAFCO Official Publication (or subsequent editions) as generally recognized as safe (GRAS) for pet food use unless FDA determines otherwise, with voluntary manufacturer notification to FDA; (3) requires FDA to review pet food ingredient submissions (i.e., food additive petitions, color additive petitions, or GRAS notifications) within 90 days and issue an action letter; (4) permits labeling fats/oils, flavors, or grains as sometimes present using phrases such as “or,” “and/or,” or “contains one or more of the following”; (5) requires ingredients to be listed by descending order of predominance by weight but allows those at 2% or less (or 1.5%, 1%, or 0.5%) to appear at the list's end after a quantifying statement such as “Contains 2 percent or less of”; and (6) permits specified claims without FDA premarket approval if truthful, nonmisleading, and substantiated—including hairball control, tartar/plaque/bad breath control, general urinary tract health support, and “human grade” for finished pet food manufactured, stored, handled, and transported to human food standards in registered human food facilities.

This section establishes responsibilities for pet food regulation by adding a new section 1015 to Title X of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and delegating to the Director of the Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) all Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorities under section 425 and related pet food duties. CVM duties include (1) conducting science-based reviews of pet food ingredient submissions; (2) submitting annual reports to Congress on performance metrics for reviews and action letters under section 425(d), guidance under section 425(h), and regulations under section 5 of the PURR Act of 2025; (3) educating pet owners, veterinarians, and the companion animal industry about pet food; (4) communicating with consumers on pet food safety; and (5) conducting research to support pet food policies and regulations. The section defines companion animal, pet food, and pet food ingredient submission by reference to section 425.

This section directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Commissioner of Food and Drugs, to issue proposed regulations implementing the amendments made by this Act not later than one year after the date of enactment and to finalize such regulations not later than two years after the date of enactment. The initial regulations must include PF 1 through PF 12 of the “Model Regulations for Pet Food and Specialty Pet Food Under the Model Bill” in chapter 4 of the 2024 edition of the “AAFCO Official Publication”.