Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship
What has to be on a dog treat label in Iowa?
Verified September 7, 2026. Figures quoted from the statute, rule, fee page or form.
In Iowa a dog treat is pet food, and its label follows the state's commercial feed labeling rules rather than the human food rules. The table below lists each label item with the citation it was read from, then the order of the guaranteed analysis and what a product identified as a snack or treat is excused from. Label filing in Iowa: it depends, a listing of each product and a label must be submitted with the small-package registration, at $50 per product; the snapshot does not state whether IDALS reviews the label before sale.
What the Iowa label has to carry
| Item | What Iowa says | Cite |
|---|---|---|
| Required label items | YesProduct and brand name required (Iowa Admin. Code 21.41.2 item 1 with 41.3(1)); species designation required, the words Dog Food or Cat Food or a similar designation on the principal display panel (21.42.2(10)), and a purpose statement is separately required on the general feed label (21.41.2 item 3 with 41.3(3)); quantity statement required (21.41.2 item 8); guaranteed analysis required in the fixed pet food order (21.41.2 item 4, 21.42.2(2)); ingredient statement required as feed ingredients (21.41.2 item 5 with 41.3(5)); nutritional adequacy or purpose statement required except on a dog or cat food prominently identified as a snack or treat (21.42.2(14)); feeding directions required only for dog and cat foods labeled as complete and balanced (21.42.2(16)); calorie content statement not required as such, though 21.42.7 governs a calorie content claim when one is made; guarantor name and principal mailing address required (21.41.2 item 7 with 41.3(7), and 21.42.2(3) adds street, city, state and ZIP); precautionary statements required with directions for use (21.41.2 item 6 with 41.3(6)); a drug statement is required if a drug is used (21.41.2 item 2 with 41.3(2)) | Iowa Admin. Code r. 21.41.2(198) (Label format), the whole eight-item principal display panel list |
| Guaranteed analysis | YesA guaranteed analysis is required on every commercial feed label (Iowa Code 198.5(1)(c), Iowa Admin. Code 21.41.2 item 4 with 41.3(4)); on a pet food label the guarantees run in the order crude protein minimum, crude fat minimum, crude fiber maximum, moisture maximum, with additional guarantees following moisture (21.42.2(2)) | Iowa Admin. Code r. 21.41.2(198) (Label format), item 4, the provision that imposes the guaranteed analysis |
| What a treat is excused from | DependsA dog or cat food prominently identified as a snack or treat, as part of the designation required on the principal display panel by 21.42.2(10), needs no statement of nutritional adequacy or purpose (21.42.2(14)) and, not being labeled complete and balanced, owes no feeding directions either (21.42.2(16)); the guaranteed analysis, the ingredient statement, the quantity statement, the name and address, the species designation and the small-package registration all still apply | Iowa Admin. Code 21.42.2(198), subrule 42.2(14) (Label format and labeling) |
| AAFCO text adopted | YesThe rules adopt the AAFCO official definitions of feed ingredients and the AAFCO official feed terms, and ch. 42 relies on the AAFCO Dog or Cat Food Nutrient Profiles; no AAFCO Official Publication is in the snapshot | Iowa Admin. Code 21.41.1(198), subrule 41.1(1) (Definitions and terms) |
| AAFCO edition | DependsNo AAFCO Official Publication year is named anywhere in the rules, so the reference is open-ended, and no Official Publication is in the snapshot, so the operative edition cannot be read here | Iowa Admin. Code 21.41.6(198), subrule 41.6(1) (Ingredients) |
| Label goes in with the filing | DependsA listing of each product and a label must be submitted with the small-package registration, at $50 per product; the snapshot does not state whether IDALS reviews the label before sale | IDALS Commercial Feed program page, FAQ 'How do I apply for a pet food license?' |
The guaranteed analysis, in the state's words
4. Guaranteed analysis as stipulated in 41.3(4).
The laboratory side of these guarantees, and what a test costs, is on the guaranteed analysis guide linked below.
What a treat is excused from in Iowa
The label of a dog or cat food (other than one prominently identified as a snack or treat as part of the designation required upon the principal display panel under subrule 42.2(10)) shall bear, on either the principal display panel or the information panel (as those terms are defined in 21 CFR 501.1 and 501.2, respectively), in type of a size reasonably related to the largest type on the panel, a statement of the nutritional adequacy or purpose of the product.
How the label reaches the state:
If you distribute pet food or specialty pet food in packages of 10 pounds or less, a listing of each product and a label must be submitted for the products which are distributed. A separate charge of $50 per each product is required.
The federal package rules that apply on top
- The principal display panel must bear a statement of identity as a principal feature.
- Ingredients must be listed by common or usual name in descending order of predominance by weight.
- Label must conspicuously give the name and place of business of manufacturer, packer or distributor, with 'Manufactured for'/'Distributed by' qualifier when not the manufacturer; street address, city, state, ZIP.
- The principal display panel must bear a net quantity declaration in weight, measure, count or combination; solids in avoirdupois weight.
- Required information must be at least 1/16 inch high unless an exemption applies (small packages under 10 sq in may use 3/64 inch).
More for Iowa
Iowa questions on this topic
Do dog treats need a guaranteed analysis in Iowa?
Yes. A guaranteed analysis is required on every commercial feed label (Iowa Code 198.5(1)(c), Iowa Admin. Code 21.41.2 item 4 with 41.3(4)); on a pet food label the guarantees run in the order crude protein minimum, crude fat minimum, crude fiber maximum, moisture maximum, with additional guarantees following moisture (21.42.2(2)). Source: Iowa Admin. Code r. 21.41.2(198) (Label format), item 4, the provision that imposes the guaranteed analysis.
Does a treat need a nutritional adequacy statement in Iowa?
It depends. A dog or cat food prominently identified as a snack or treat, as part of the designation required on the principal display panel by 21.42.2(10), needs no statement of nutritional adequacy or purpose (21.42.2(14)) and, not being labeled complete and balanced, owes no feeding directions either (21.42.2(16)); the guaranteed analysis, the ingredient statement, the quantity statement, the name and address, the species designation and the small-package registration all still apply. Source: Iowa Admin. Code 21.42.2(198), subrule 42.2(14) (Label format and labeling).
Does Iowa review my label before I sell?
It depends. A listing of each product and a label must be submitted with the small-package registration, at $50 per product; the snapshot does not state whether IDALS reviews the label before sale. Source: IDALS Commercial Feed program page, FAQ 'How do I apply for a pet food license?'.
Which AAFCO edition does Iowa follow for labels?
It depends. No AAFCO Official Publication year is named anywhere in the rules, so the reference is open-ended, and no Official Publication is in the snapshot, so the operative edition cannot be read here. Source: Iowa Admin. Code 21.41.6(198), subrule 41.6(1) (Ingredients).
Keep reading
DogTreatLicense is an informational reference about state commercial feed laws as they apply to people who make and sell pet treats in the United States. It reprints instrument names, fees, thresholds, label items and citations from state statutes, rules, fee schedules and agency forms, together with the date each state was last verified. Nothing on this site is legal advice, and fees and rules change. Confirm with the state feed control office before you register or sell.
Read the terms before you rely on any figure here.