US state feed registration: all 50 states compared

Every US state regulates commercial feed differently, and one has no feed programme at all. This guide compares all fifty states, verified against each state's official programme pages. Fees change: treat the figures as current at the last review date and confirm against the linked official source before budgeting. Where something could not be verified against a primary source, we say so rather than guess. For the federal layer and the overall structure, start with our US registration and licensing guide.

At a glance

* Texas tonnage is quarterly if over $100 per quarter, otherwise annual.

Iowa

The Commercial Feed and Fertilizer Bureau of the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship licenses the label guarantor and anyone selling feed into Iowa. The licence runs on a two-year cycle renewed by 1 July of odd-numbered years and costs $20. Pet food in packages of 10 lb or less requires product listing at $50 per product, and firms selling only such small packages are exempt from tonnage. Tonnage is reported semi-annually; the current per-ton rate is not published on the programme pages, so confirm with the bureau. Official page: iowaagriculture.gov.

Texas

Uniquely, Texas houses feed regulation in a university programme: the Office of the Texas State Chemist (Texas A&M), operating the Feed & Fertilizer Control Service. Each facility that manufactures or distributes feed holds a facility licence (statutory cap $75, treated as permanent). Small-package pet food (5 lb or less) is registered annually at $50 per product, due 1 September. The inspection fee is $0.19 per ton, paid quarterly when more than $100 is owed in a quarter, otherwise annually. Official page: otsc.tamu.edu.

California

CDFA's Commercial Feed Regulatory Program licenses every location that manufactures, distributes, sells, or stores commercial feed, at $500 per year on a July-to-June cycle. The inspection tonnage tax is $0.10 per ton on feed distributed to consumer-buyers (whole unmixed hays and whole grains excepted), due quarterly. Official page: cdfa.ca.gov.

Minnesota

Minnesota requires a Commercial Feed Licence ($75 plus a $5 surcharge, calendar-year cycle) for anyone distributing feed into the state or named on a label, plus product registration at $100 per product per year for pet and specialty pet food in packages of 10 lb or less (July-to-June cycle). Tonnage is $0.16 per ton or $75, whichever is greater, calculated annually on the prior year and due by 31 January. A tonnage fee exemption permit lets certain large buyers assume tonnage liability from their suppliers. Official page: mda.state.mn.us.

Illinois

Illinois combines a cheap licence ($30, covering secondary sites under the same name) with the highest tonnage rate in this comparison: $0.30 per ton (minimum $25), owed by the first seller in Illinois and reported semi-annually (due 31 July and 31 January). Standard feed products are registered at no fee; small-package pet food (10 lb or less) instead pays a $90 per-product inspection fee annually. Department-approved "Exempt Buyers" can assume the tonnage obligation. Official page: agr.illinois.gov.

Nebraska

Nebraska licenses each facility at $15 per year (expires 31 December). Tonnage is the lowest here at $0.065 per ton (minimum $5 per period), reported semi-annually with due dates of 15 August and 15 February and steep late penalties (25%, rising to 50%). Small packages (10 lb or less) pay a flat $25 per product per year instead of tonnage. Official page: nda.nebraska.gov.

Kansas

Kansas licenses manufacturers, importers, jobbers, and distributors at $10, renewed by 1 July. Note a live discrepancy on the tonnage rate: the department's guidance states $0.09 per ton (minimum $15) while the statute (KSA 2-1004) reads $0.10 per ton; confirm directly with KDA. Reporting is semi-annual (due 1 January and 1 July). Small-package pet food pays $25 per product annually ($15 for specialty pet food of 1 lb or less), and feed with 60% or more water content is exempt. Official page: agriculture.ks.gov.

Missouri

Missouri requires a $35 per-facility licence (July-to-June year, late fee after 31 July) for manufacturers, distributors, guarantors, and independent formulation consultants. Pet food sold only in packages of 10 lb or less (1 lb for specialty pet food) is registered at $90 per product per year, reduced to $25 where gross annual sales are under $5,000. Everything else reports tonnage quarterly at $0.14 per ton (minimum $5 per quarter). Feed consumed by the producing operation's own livestock is exempt. Official page: agriculture.mo.gov.

Indiana

The Office of Indiana State Chemist at Purdue University administers the Indiana Commercial Feed Law. The licence is $50 per year, and small-package pet food (10 lb or under) is listed at $50 per product per year. Tonnage is the highest rate in this comparison at $0.40 per ton, reported quarterly (minimum $5, and reports are due even for zero sales; late reports cost $50). Two quirks: labels must be reviewed by OISC before printing, and hemp/CBD ingredients are prohibited in animal food in Indiana. Official page: oisc.purdue.edu.

North Carolina

NCDA&CS requires firms to hold a permit and register each feed brand annually ($5 per brand; $12 for canned pet food; registrations expire 31 December). The inspection fee is $0.12 per ton (canned pet food instead pays $0.03 per 48-can carton), with a $10 quarterly minimum, reported quarterly. Feed sold only in packages of 5 lb or less can pay a flat $40 in lieu of the inspection fee. Customer-formula feed is exempt from separate registration when its components are registered. Official page: ncagr.gov.

Ohio

The Ohio Department of Agriculture requires registration ($50) for anyone who manufactures commercial feed or is named as guarantor on a label. Registrants distributing under 200 tons a year pay only the base fee; above that, $0.25 per ton applies on tonnage over 200. The registration period runs 1 December to 31 January, and reporting moved to a calendar-year cycle with reports due 1 February under changes effective 1 January 2026, so older summaries may be out of date. Ohio also publishes an "exempt buyers" list of major manufacturers who assume the fee on distributors' behalf. Official page: agri.ohio.gov.

Wisconsin

DATCP licenses firms manufacturing, labelling, or distributing feed (including pet food and treats) at $25 per year on a March-to-February cycle. The inspection fee is $50 or $0.25 per ton, whichever is greater, reported annually. Retailers selling feed in the licensee's original packaging are exempt, as are custom mixes made from Wisconsin-licensed feeds. Official page: datcp.wi.gov.

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania licenses each in-state manufacturing facility and each label guarantor at $25 annually, due 1 January, and explicitly has no product registration for commercial feed. The inspection fee is $0.10 per ton (minimum $25), with the tonnage report due by 15 February. Retailers selling another party's feed in unaltered packaging need no licence; repackaging triggers manufacturer status. Official page: pa.gov.

Georgia

Georgia requires both a feed licence ($75 new application; renewal is tonnage-based, with the per-ton rate not published online) and product registration for pet and specialty pet food in packages of 10 lb or less at $40 per product, with combined fees capped at $2,000. Registrations run on the calendar year via the Kelly Registration Systems portal, and out-of-state applicants need a notarised Consent to Service of Process. Official page: agr.georgia.gov.

Michigan

MDARD licenses each Michigan location that manufactures commercial feed. The inspection fee is $0.30 per ton, halved to $0.15 for wet by-products of 60% moisture or more, with a $50 minimum, reported annually for the July-to-June year by 31 July. The current licence fee and exact renewal date were not verifiable against primary sources at last review; confirm both with MDARD directly. Official page: michigan.gov/mdard.

Kentucky

Kentucky is one of the university-administered states: the University of Kentucky Division of Regulatory Services runs the feed programme, not the state agriculture department. Each commercial feed product is registered before distribution, with small packages (10 lb or less) at $50 per product, and feed in larger packages paying $0.35 per ton quarterly (minimum $25 per quarter). Firms with strong compliance records can file an affidavit in lieu of per-product registration. Official page: rs.uky.edu.

Tennessee

Tennessee requires a Commercial Feed Facility Licence per location for manufacturers, distributors, and label guarantors; retailers of pre-licensed feed are exempt. The fee structure is genuinely in transition: the historic tonnage-based fee (minimum $50) appears to have been replaced by a flat "Tier 2" fee, and we could not verify the current amount against a primary source at last review. Confirm directly with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture before budgeting. Licences run to 1 July. Official page: tn.gov/agriculture.

Oklahoma

ODAFF licenses manufacturers and label guarantors at $50 annually on a July-to-June cycle. The inspection fee is $0.15 per ton, reported semi-annually (due 31 January and 31 July, minimum $10 per period). Small-package pet food (10 lb or less) registers at $50 per brand in lieu of tonnage; specialty pet food in packages of 1 lb or under is $35 per brand, capped at $700. Official page: ag.ok.gov.

Colorado

Colorado requires annual company registration ($75, February-to-January year) plus per-product registration for small packages under 10 lb at $25 per product name. Tonnage is the lowest headline rate in this comparison at $0.05 per dry ton ($0.025 for wet feed over 60% moisture), but with a $50 minimum, reported annually each January. Administration is online via AgLicense. Official page: ag.colorado.gov.

Arkansas

The Arkansas State Plant Board licenses each facility at $10 per calendar year, with licences expiring 31 December. The inspection fee is $0.30 per ton, reported quarterly with a $10 minimum per report even at zero distribution. Canned pet products are exempt from licensing, and integrated operators can apply for a contract-feeder exemption licence. Official page: agriculture.arkansas.gov.

Alabama

The Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries requires both a firm licence and small-package product registration. The licence fee is tonnage-tiered, from $45 (under 250 tons) to $750 (over 8,000 tons). Products in packages of 10 lb or less register at $50 or $100 per product depending on sales volume. The inspection fee is $0.25 per ton, reported quarterly; bulk grain and vertically integrated feed are exempt. Licences run on the calendar year. Alabama adopts AAFCO's ingredient definitions and pet food model regulations by reference. Official page: agi.alabama.gov.

Mississippi

MDAC's Bureau of Plant Industry, working with the Mississippi State Chemical Laboratory, requires facility permits at $100 per year (renewed in December) plus product registration at $25 per product for packages under 10 lb; larger packages report tonnage annually each January instead. One accuracy note: the official page states the tonnage rate as ".25 cents per ton" verbatim, which is ambiguous between $0.25 and a quarter-cent; confirm the intended rate with MDAC. Official page: mdac.ms.gov.

Louisiana

LDAF requires annual company registration ($40) plus label registration ($10 per product), renewed by 30 June. Louisiana has the highest tonnage rate in this comparison at $1.00 per ton (minimum $10 per quarter), reported quarterly. Accounts selling only packages of 10 lb or less can pay a $200 specialty fee in lieu of per-ton fees but must still file reports. Repeated late reports can trigger a hearing before the Agricultural Chemistry and Seed Commission. Official page: ldaf.la.gov.

South Dakota

DANR licenses each physical location at $50 on a two-year cycle, covering manufacturers and anyone distributing to South Dakota producers. The inspection fee is $0.10 per ton or $20, whichever is greater, on packages over 10 lb, reported annually by 31 January. Custom mixing not intended for distribution is exempt. Official page: danr.sd.gov.

North Dakota

NDDA licenses manufacturers ($120 new, $100 renewal) and retailers ($60/$50) per location on a two-year cycle starting in even years. Commercial feed product registration is free with an active licence; pet food registers at $100 per product made out of state ($50 in state). Tonnage is $0.20 per ton (minimum $10), due 15 February. A cottage-style exemption covers residents making meat-free pet food for direct sale at community events. Official page: ndda.nd.gov.

Idaho

Idaho is the outlier: no facility licence and no tonnage fee at all. Every commercial feed product is instead registered annually at $40 per product (expiring 30 September), and ISDA's own FAQ confirms tonnage payments are no longer required. Customer-formula feed is excluded, and sellers grossing $500 or less annually are exempt from the fee. Official page: agri.idaho.gov.

Washington

WSDA splits the model by product type: non-pet commercial feed needs a $50 annual facility licence (expiring 30 June), while pet and specialty pet food skip the licence but register per product ($22 for packages of 10 lb or more, $90 under 10 lb) on a two-year cycle. Tonnage is currently $0.12 per ton (the statute allows 4 to 12 cents), paid by the initial distributor and reported semi-annually. Official page: agr.wa.gov.

Oregon

Oregon builds tonnage into the licence itself: manufacturer facility licences are tiered by annual tonnage from $150 (under 5,000 tons) to $750 (30,000 tons or more), with no separate tonnage reports to file. Distributor-only licences are a flat $150, and product registration is $40 per formula. Notably, dog and cat food is excluded from Oregon's commercial feed definition entirely. Licences run on the calendar year. Official page: oregon.gov/oda.

Virginia

VDACS requires a $50 facility licence plus product registration for medicated feed, small packages (10 lb or under), and specialty pet food ($35 to $50 per product, with a $700 cap for the smallest specialty category). Bulk non-medicated feed needs only the licence. Tonnage is $0.07 per ton or $35, whichever is greater, reported annually by 1 February. Official page: vdacs.virginia.gov.

Florida

Florida uses a single tiered master registration per distributor covering all brands, from $40 (up to 25 tons) to $3,500 (over 5,000 tons), based on the prior year's Florida tonnage, expiring 30 June. Quarterly tonnage reports are still required. Florida also has a state preemption law giving FDACS exclusive feed authority, and registrants must submit samples to certified labs or hold a QA/QC exemption. Official page: fdacs.gov.

New York

New York splits by origin: in-state manufacturers hold a free Commercial Feed Manufacturing Licence (annual), while out-of-state firms and non-manufacturing distributors register at $100 on a two-year cycle. Tonnage is $0.10 per ton with the first 100 tons per year free, reported annually by 30 January. Pet food is handled under a separate programme. Official page: agriculture.ny.gov.

New Jersey

New Jersey registers each manufacturing facility at $250, renewed by 1 January. The inspection fee is $0.30 per ton with an unusually high minimum of $250 per year, reported annually by 31 January. The fee is never charged twice on the same feed through the chain. Official page: nj.gov/agriculture.

Maryland

Maryland's State Chemist Section runs a registration-only model: $50 per product per year, all expiring 30 April, handled through an online portal. No feed tonnage fee was found on official sources; the tonnage forms on the State Chemist page cover fertiliser and lime, not feed. Official page: mda.maryland.gov.

Delaware

Delaware registers each product annually (expiring 31 December): $23 for feed other than pet food, and $100 for pet food from 2025 onward, part of which funds the state's Spay/Neuter Fund. No per-ton inspection fee exists in the feed statute. Official page: agriculture.delaware.gov.

South Carolina

Feed regulation sits with the SC Department of Agriculture (Clemson's laboratory provides optional nutrient analysis only). Products register at $20 per year ($15 plus a $5 processing cost), due 1 January with a $10 per-product late fee after 15 January. No tonnage fee was found. Applications without labels are rejected. Official page: agriculture.sc.gov.

Maine

Maine's DACF requires product registration for commercial feed (Chapter 311) and pet food (Chapter 312), but the fee schedule and renewal cycle are not published on the programme pages we could verify; request current figures from the Division of Quality Assurance and Regulations. Official page: maine.gov/dacf.

New Hampshire

New Hampshire registers products at $120 each, expiring 31 December, with hard-copy labels required for new registrations. There is no feed tonnage requirement (the state's $0.37/ton fee applies to fertiliser, a separate programme). Official page: agriculture.nh.gov.

Vermont

Vermont registers products at $105 per year with no tonnage fee, stated explicitly on the programme page. The agency sends computerised renewal forms each March, and label-guarantee deficiencies carry $50 penalties. A public database of registered products is searchable online. Official page: agriculture.vermont.gov.

Massachusetts

Massachusetts registers products at $100 per year with no tonnage reporting. Note a recent system change: from November 2025 all registrations moved to the EEA ePLACE portal with a renewal window of 1 October to 31 December, superseding the old 1 February deadline still quoted by many third-party summaries. Official page: mass.gov.

Connecticut

Connecticut requires both facility registration ($50 per year under five full-time staff, $100 at five or more, expiring 31 December) and product registration; the per-product fee is not stated on the pages we could verify. Facilities grossing under $25,000 in annual feed sales are exempt. The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station does the laboratory analysis, but the Department of Agriculture administers the programme. Official page: portal.ct.gov/DOAG.

Montana

Montana licenses feed dealers ($100 new, $75 renewal, calendar year) and registers pet food per product at $50. Tonnage is $0.18 per ton (pet food exempt), reported annually by 31 January, payable only when the total exceeds $5. Unprocessed hay is unregulated, and the MTPlants online system handles everything. Official page: agr.mt.gov.

Wyoming

Wyoming registers each product at $20, expiring 31 December, and collects no tonnage. Custom formula feeds are exempt. Official page: agriculture.wy.gov.

Utah

Utah registers products (not firms) at $60 per product per calendar year, covering feed, ingredients, additives, supplements, premixes, and pet treats. A separate licence exists for custom-mix operations. No tonnage fee was found on official sources. Official page: ag.utah.gov.

Nevada

Nevada licenses firms at $75 per year (expiring 31 December) with tonnage at $0.15 per ton or $5 per quarter, whichever is greater, reported quarterly within 15 days of quarter end, including nil reports. Small distributors expecting under 33 tons a quarter can pre-pay $20 for the year. Nevada does not licence feed containing industrial hemp. Official page: agri.nv.gov.

Arizona

Arizona licenses firms at $10 per year on a July-to-June cycle, with a choice of one-year or two-year terms, and requires label copies with the application rather than product registration. An inspection-fee statute exists but the current per-ton rate is not published on the programme pages; confirm with the department. Official page: agriculture.az.gov.

New Mexico

New Mexico is another university-administered state: NMDA operates through New Mexico State University. Products register at $2 each, small packages (10 lb or less) pay a $25 annual inspection fee per product, and larger packages pay $0.15 per ton quarterly (nil reports required). Pet food carries an additional Spay and Neuter Programme fee of $100, with small-manufacturer exemptions. Official page: nmdeptag.nmsu.edu.

West Virginia

West Virginia permits firms by role: manufacturer $50, distributor $30, and guarantor $500 per year, expiring 31 December, plus per-product registration for pet food categories ($40 to $100 depending on type and package size). Tonnage is $0.35 per ton, reported semi-annually. Some fee figures conflict with older AAFCO summaries, so confirm against the current WVDA schedule. Official page: agriculture.wv.gov.

Alaska

Alaska has no commercial feed programme at all: no licence, no registration, no tonnage. The Division of Agriculture states this explicitly, leaving federal law as the applicable baseline. If you distribute in Alaska, your FDA obligations still apply in full. Official page: dnr.alaska.gov.

Hawaii

Hawaii registers products for a one-off $30 fee described as permanent, with quarterly tonnage at $0.40 per ton for mixed feeds and $0.20 for other feeds and whole grain or hay. Pet food falls under the same feed statute rather than separate rules. Official page: dab.hawaii.gov.

Rhode Island

Rhode Island registers each brand at $60 per year, expiring 31 December, via the DEM online portal, with no tonnage reports. Customer formula feed is exempt. Official page: dem.ri.gov.

Checking current requirements

AAFCO maintains the directory of every state feed control official: Find your state feed control official.

This guide is general information for industry professionals, not legal advice. Fees and requirements change; confirm against the linked official source before acting.