INSPECTION OF COMMERCIAL FEEDSTUFFS 



By Feed Control Service Staff 



John W. Kuzmeskl, Research Professor, Official Chemist 



Albert F. Spelman, A.t.iociate Research Professor 



C. Tyson Smith, Associate Research Professor, Microscopist 



Bertram Gersten, Assistant Research Professor 



Jeannette G. Davis, Research Instructor 



Richard Graves, Research Instructor 



Oavld F. Owen, Jr., Research Instructor 



Joseph Conklln, Inspector 



Edward F. Vlach, Technical Assistant 



Cora B. Grover, Principal Clerk 



INTRODUCTION 



During the past year there has been considerable discussion among feed 

 manufacturers and control officials about labeling, particularly the labeling of 

 feeds containing drugs. It seems desirable to state the position of the Massa- 

 chusetts Control Service on this subject. 



The Massachusetts Feed Law, Section 225, provides that: "Each package, 

 lot or parcel of commercial feeding stuff sold or offered, exposed or kept for sale 

 or distributed shall have affixed thereto in a conspicuous place, as provided in 

 the following section, a tag or label containing a legible and plainly printed 

 statement in the English language clearly and truly certifying: 



(a) The weight of the contents of the package, lot or parcel 



(b) The name, brand or trade mark 



(c) The name and principal address of the manufacturer or person responsible 



for placing the commodity on the market 



(d) The minimum per cent of crude protein 



(e) The minimum per cent of crude fat 

 (/) The maximum per cent of crude fiber 



(g) The specific name of each ingredient used in its manufacture. 



"If such a tag or label contains any claim of one or more dietary factors 

 other than those herein specified, such tag or label shall bear a legible and plainly 

 printed statement in the English language guaranteeing such claim." 



Section 230 further provides that: "The director or his authorized deputy 

 may refuse to register any commercial feeding stuff under a name, brand, or trade- 

 mark which, in his opinion, would be misleading or deceptive, or which would 

 tend to mislead or deceive as to the materials of which the feeding stuff is 

 composed." 



These requirements allow considerable latitude in the form of labeling that 

 may be used. The Control Service does not insist upon one rigidly set pattern. 

 There are a number of ways of labeling feeds to give the farmer the information 

 required by law and, in the case of feeds containing drugs, the additional informa- 

 tion needed for the proper and safe use of these feeds. 



The Control Service will furnish upon request copies of specimen labels 

 recommended for various types of feed. However, it is not mandatory for feeds 

 sold in Massachusetts to have labels that are exact copies of those recommended. 

 Labels that differ in some respects but which also meet the requirements of the 

 Massachu.setts Feed Law will be accepted. 



