Container Label Regulations
Friday, 09 September 2005 13:22
As growers order goods for the upcoming growing season, they are asking about how to comply with container labeling regulations read about in the trade magazines. The law requires that plants offered for retail sale show specific information. There have been laws in place for many years regulating the labeling on consumer goods. The purpose of the law is to assist consumers in comparing similar products by using uniform and consistent price and quantity information on the product package, or in advertising and signage. This law applies only to retail sales of products to consumers and not to transactions between wholesale suppliers and retailers. Retailers, though, through the normal course of business, may seek assistance from suppliers in providing the required information.
Summary of information needed to comply:
Declaration of Identity: the common or Latin name of the plant or simply a generic term for the plant material, i.e."mixed annuals"
Declaration of Net Content: an accurate weight content of the container measure or count. This includes the volume or weight of cells. Measures such as quart and gallon are permissible. However, all measures must be in English and Metric.
Declaration of Responsibility: the identity and location of the vendor, distributor or retailer who is responsible for compliance with the Uniform Weights and Measure standards. The required information may be provided now by signage or by pot labels.
Link to 8 page publication, "Industry Guide to Marketing Container Plants" (PDF) which contains a complete explanation of the industry guidelines with examples of plant labels.
Tina Smith
