CHAPTER 19. AGRICULTURE.

ARTICLE 14. WEST VIRGINIA COMMERCIAL FEED LAW.

§19-14-2. Definitions.

(a) “Brand name” means any word, name, symbol or device, or any combination thereof, identifying the commercial feed of a distributor, guarantor, or manufacturer and distinguishing it from all others.

(b) “Bulk” refers to commercial feed or feed ingredients distributed in nonpackaged form where a label cannot be attached and accompanied by an invoice or delivery slip.

(c) “Commercial feed” means all materials or combinations of materials which are distributed, or intended for distribution, for use as feed or for mixing in feed for animals, other than humans, except: (1) Unmixed or unprocessed whole seeds when such whole or unprocessed seeds are not chemically changed or adulterated; (2) unprocessed hay, straw, stover, silage, cobs, husks, hulls, and raw meat when not mixed with other materials and when not adulterated; (3) individual chemical compounds when not mixed with other materials. The term commercial feed shall include the categories of feed ingredients, customer-formula feeds, pet foods and specialty pet foods.

(d) “Commissioner” refers to the commissioner of agriculture of the State of West Virginia or a duly authorized employee of the commissioner.

(e) “Contract feeder” means a person who, as an independent contractor, feeds commercial feed to animals pursuant to a contract and the commercial feed is supplied, furnished, or provided to the independent contractor and such contractor’s remuneration is determined all or in part by feed consumption, mortality, profits, or the amount or quality of the product.

(f) “Customer-formula feed” means a commercial feed that consists of a mixture of commercial feed and/or feed ingredients, each batch of which is manufactured according to the specific instructions of the final purchaser.

(g) “Distribute” means to offer for sale, sell, exchange, or barter commercial feed; or to supply, furnish, or provide commercial feed to a contract feeder.

(h) “Distributor” means any person who distributes a commercial feed.

(i) “Drug” means any substance intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease in animals, other than humans; and any substance intended to affect the structure or any function of the animal body.

(j) “Feed” means any material consumed, or intended to be consumed, by animals other than humans, or any element of that material that contributes nutrition, taste, or aroma, or otherwise has a technical effect on the consumed material. The term “feed” includes raw materials, ingredients, and finished product.

(k) “Feed ingredient” means each constituent material making up feed, including individual chemical compounds labeled for use as a feed ingredient.

(l) “Guarantor” means any person whose name appears on a label and who is therefore responsible for the product and its labeling.

(m) “Label” means a display of written, printed, or graphic matter printed upon or otherwise affixed to the container in which commercial feed is distributed; or printed upon or otherwise affixed to the invoice, delivery slip, or other shipping document which accompanies bulk shipments of commercial feed or customer-formula feed. All such labels shall be legible and in English.

(n) “Labeling” means and includes all labels as well as all other written, printed, or graphic matter found: (1) upon a commercial feed or any of its containers or wrappers, or (2) accompanying such commercial feed.

(o) “Manufacture” means to grind, mix, blend, package, pack, repackage, repack, or otherwise process a commercial feed for distribution.

(p) “Medicated feed” means any feed which contains one or more drugs. Antibiotics included in a feed growth promotion and/or efficiency level are drug additives and feeds containing such antibiotics are included in the definition of “medicated feed”.

(q) “Mineral feed” means a commercial feed designed or intended to supply primarily mineral elements or inorganic nutrients.

(r) “Official sample” means any sample of feed taken by the commissioner in accordance with the provisions of this article and rules promulgated hereunder.

(s) “Percent” or “percentage” means percentage by weights.

(t) “Person” means an individual, partnership, association, fiduciary, firm, company, corporation, or any organized group of persons whether incorporated or not.

(u) “Pet” means dog (Canis familiaris) or cat (Felis catus).

(v) “Pet food” means any commercial feed manufactured and distributed for consumption by pets.

(w) “Process” means a method used to prepare, treat, convert, or transform materials into feed or feed ingredients. The word “processed” can be used to further describe an ingredient name, so long as the ingredient is not nutritionally altered from the original form of the ingredient.

(x) “Product name” means the name of the commercial feed which identifies it as to kind, class, or specific use and distinguishes it from all other products bearing the same brand name.

(y) “Quantity statement” means the net weight (mass), liquid measure, or count.

(z) “Repack” or “repackaging” means to pack and label a previously manufactured feed.

(aa) “Specialty pet” means any animal normally maintained in a household, such as rodents, ornamental birds, fish, , reptiles, amphibians, ferrets, hedgehogs, marsupials, and rabbits not raised for food or fur.

(bb) “Specialty pet food” means any commercial feed prepared and distributed for consumption by specialty pets.

(cc) “Ton” means a net weight of two thousand pounds avoirdupois.

Bill History For §19-14-2

1991 Regular Session
House Bill 2583
1965 Regular Session
House Bill 637