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The Federal Trade Commission will hold a public hearing on December 6, 2011, to obtain input on whether to amend the agency’s Name Guide that lists the common animal names that are allowed on fur labels. The hearing is part of a review of the Name Guide required by Congress under the Truth in Fur Labeling Act of 2010 and the Federal Trade Commission’s systematic review of all current FTC rules and guides.

The Fur Products Name Guide is part of the FTC’s Fur Labeling and Advertising Rules – commonly known as the Fur Rules – which help consumers make informed buying decisions by requiring fur manufacturers and retailers to label fur products with certain information, such as the animal’s name, the name of the manufacturer, and the garment’s country of origin.

The Name Guide provides English names for fur-producing animals, listed by genus-species. In March 2011, the FTC began a review of the Name Guide, sought public comments on the Fur Rules generally, and announced upcoming changes to the Fur Rules required by Congress.

At the hearing, the Commission invites views from all interested parties on all aspects of the Guide, including using the Integrated Taxonomic Information System to determine an animal’s true English name, and views about whether the agency should modify, add or delete names for several specific species.

The hearing will be held on Tuesday, December 6, 2011, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., in the FTC’s Satellite Building Conference Center, 601 New Jersey Avenue NW, Washington, DC. The hearing is open to the public, and there is no fee for attendance. Pre-registration is not necessary to attend, but is encouraged so that the Commission may better plan this event. To pre-register, please e-mail your name and affiliation to mwilshire@ftc.gov.

For more information, read How to Comply with the Fur Products Labeling Act and the complete Rules and Regulations Under the Fur Products Labeling Act.

The Commission vote approving the Federal Register Notice announcing the public hearing was 4-0. It is available on the FTC’s website and as a link to this press release and will be published in the Federal Register soon. (FTC File No. P074201; the staff contact is Matthew Wilshire, Bureau of Consumer Protection, 202-326-2976)

The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish, visit the FTC’s online Complaint Assistant or call
1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). The FTC enters complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 2,000 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. The FTC’s website provides free information on a variety of consumer topics. Like the FTC on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

(Fur Products Name Guide)