I posted yesterday a notice posted on my distributor login page (and also on the Flint River web site for the general public to see) regarding the recent pet food recall. Today, I received an email directly from Flint River with an updated response to the further recalls to include dry kibble:

April 4, 2007

Dear Flint River Ranch Distributors,

We appreciate everyone’s concern about the current recall and its unsettling recent expansion to include some dry foods beyond the canned formulas initially recalled. I know that you are all recieving inquiries from your customers and have questions of your own.

Flint River Ranch would like to reaffirm that all of our formulas and ingredients are safe. We purchase all of our ingredients from major US suppliers, and our ingredients are subjected to USDA testing. Our lamb is from free-range ranchs located in New Zealand.

Flint River Ranch foods do NOT contain wheat gluten. Wheat is used in some formulas; however, that wheat is acquired from a USDA-certified provider. The wheat used in FRR formulas is safe, does not come from China, and is always tested and certified.

Despite what various reports you read or see on TV may indicate, wheat - and wheat gluten - is truly NOT the source of the problem. The presence of a chemical(s) within a specific batch of wheat gluten from one Chinese company used by the Menu company is the issue. This is not to trivalize the problem, but to clarify the issue and assure you that this recall does not involve Flint River Ranch products or any ingredients.

Some imported wheat gluten from China is being recalled by ChemNutra, Inc. as a result of recent questions and findings surrounding this recall. From what we can find, only a particular lot from one of three Chinese suppliers of wheat gluten to ChemNutra is suspect. Please go to www.fda.gov for more information about the recall of imported wheat gluten from China.

As always, Flint River Ranch follows and exceeds guidelines as set forth by AAFCO - American Association of Feed Control Officials. Flint River Ranch foods are made using our own fixed formulas under our direction in Southern California. We do not “piggy-back” onto lines of mass-produced foods.

Let your customers know that if they are still concerned about wheat in their pet’s diet despite this information and would like to feed a wheat-free food, Flint River Ranch offers two excellent formulas that are 100% wheat-free. Lamb Meal, Millet & Rice (code LMR) and “Fish N’ Chips” - Trout and Sweet Potato (code FNC) both offer fully balanced nutrition for dogs, and are available in 10 and 20 pound bags. I have fed my dogs our Fish N’ Chips formula for many years now and continue to be impressed with their health, energy and appearance.

As I find out more information, I will be sure to pass it on. I know that this is a trying time for us all. but I want you to be assured that Flint River Ranch is properly staged to handle the additional demands on our system with minimal challenges. Our use of company and logistical warehouses enables us to spread the demand when necessary and ship product as needed. We have already increased our production in the plant to reflect this increase in demand and I am hiring even more CSR’s to assist in our daily orders. I am not thrilled with the reasoning behind this surge in interest in FRR, but I am very happy to report that many customers are reinvigorated about Flint River Ranch, our formulas and message of all-natural pet foods. I encourage you to stay as focused on the details of this issue and how FRR can help your current and new customer base…accurate information without hype will greatly assist to calm peoples fears of any problems with FRR products. I welcome your comments and suggestions. Thank you for your support!

Sincerely,

Jay P.

If you have any questions about Flint River Ranch pet food, please contact me. If you would like to order Flint River for your pet, you may do so via my web site.