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Committee advances pet-food registration fee changes aimed at small makers
Summary
House Bill 15-26 would simplify out-of-state pet food registration fees and reduce costs for in-state small producers; the committee recommended the bill for passage following testimony from the Department of Agriculture and small manufacturers.
The Senate Agriculture and Veterans Affairs Committee recommended due pass on House Bill 15-26 after hearing from Department of Agriculture staff and small pet-food producers about fee adjustments and labeling clarifications.
Jamie Goode, a feed specialist at the North Dakota Department of Agriculture, introduced the bill on behalf of Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goring. Goode said the proposal would simplify the registration fee structure for out-of-state manufacturers to a single $100 registration or renewal (previously $120 initial, $100 renewal) and create reduced-cost registration for in-state small manufacturers. The bill also clarifies labeling definitions and narrows an existing farmer's-market exemption to sales by North Dakota residents at community events.
Small-business testimony underscored the cost burden for small producers. Cheryl Woodcock, owner of Farmer Tilly's Homemade Dog Treats, said she sells nine wholesale items and currently pays about $900 every two years to register labels. "The bill reducing it to $50 every other year is a great help to me and other people like me," Woodcock said, describing reliance on locally sourced ingredients and limited wholesale revenue.
Goode said North Dakota participates in the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) label review practices and that the department reviews labels during registration to confirm ingredient declarations. Committee members posed technical questions about label accuracy and where ingredients are sourced. Senator Merdahl moved a due-pass recommendation; the clerk's roll call recorded multiple "yes" votes and the motion carried.
If enacted, the law would make registration less costly and administratively simpler for small in-state producers while keeping state oversight over labeling and product claims.
