OUR QUESTIONS TO SMUCKERS BASED ON THE COMPANY’S LATEST STATEMENT TO CONSUMERS

1. What’s the name of the “independent third-party microbiology lab” that determined beef fat
was the single source of contamination?
a. How did they arrive at that conclusion? (methodology used, their LOQ/level of
sensitivity)
b. What other DNA sources did the lab look for?
c. Please explain how the ingredient “beef fat” was the source of contamination when
beef fat is not listed on the ingredient list
d. “Animal fat” is listed on the ingredient list. How did the lab isolated beef fat from a
rendered ingredient, and then further isolated pentobarbital?
2. If a cow was the source of pentobarbital, how did a cow, killed with that drug, get into the
supply chain? Farmers who raise cattle for food are never permitted to use a lethal drug on
livestock in the food supply. From where was that cow sourced?
3. In the interest of transparency, WJLA promptly and willingly provided Smucker’s with all of its
lab results, as well as all additional information the company requested regarding lab
identification and accreditation and methodology. Will Smucker’s provide us with the same?
4. How will Smucker’s employ its robust new quality assurance program that “all products will be
tested for the presence of pentobarbital.”
a. What will be the frequency of testing?
b. How will samples be procured?
c. What lab will be handling those tests?
d. Will the results be publicly available?
e. Why is it necessary to test for this drug if the company is not using euthanized animals
in its products?
5. What’s the status of the product withdrawal? How many units does Smucker’s estimate will be,
or have been, pulled from shelves? What is the estimated value of those units? Will the
products pulled be destroyed?

SMUCKERS RESPONSE TO OUR QUESTIONS 2/28/18:

In response to your message, we offer the following:

Information on the product withdrawal and updates can still be found at

https://www.kibblesnbits.com/information and http://www.gravytraindog.com/information in addition
to http://www.jmsmucker.com/company-news/brand-news-releases-article/2334404.

The J.M. Smucker Company has identified the sole source of the extremely low levels of pentobarbital in
specific shipments of Gravy Train®, Kibbles ‘N Bits®, Ol’ Roy®, and Skippy® canned wet dog food and has
taken additional steps to further assure the quality and safety of its pet food brands, including testing
for pentobarbital across all of its pet food products.

While veterinary experts have confirmed that extremely low levels of pentobarbital do not pose a threat
to pet safety, this substance simply should not have been in our products.

Upon learning of your findings, we immediately began an investigation into the matter. Testing done by
scientists at an independent, third-party microbiology laboratory indicates a single, minor ingredient
(beef fat), used only in the four wet dog food brands, was the source of the contamination. In addition,
we immediately stopped production of canned wet dog food at our manufacturing facility that makes
these product lines until we could obtain the ingredient from a new supplier, and we stopped sourcing
the ingredient from the original supplier.

We conducted a voluntary withdrawal of the affected products which included advising retailers to
remove affected shipments from their supply. No other products of The J.M. Smucker Company were
affected by this withdrawal.

The independent, third-party laboratory we used is nationally and internationally recognized as highly
credible with accredited testing and methodology practices.

The independent, third party laboratory tested the ingredient in which pentobarbital was found and
confirmed it was sourced from cattle and no other animal.

Animal fat is noted on the ingredient list and as you referenced from our press release. We identified
this as beef fat to be clear to our consumers on the ingredient that the source was from cattle.

We take this matter very seriously and continue to review the root cause with the former supplier of the
beef fat ingredient.

Quality is a Basic Belief of our Company and we recently announced a new quality assurance protocol as
an added assurance for pet families. The Company will test all pet products for the presence of
pentobarbital. Although the Company has robust quality assurance procedures in place, it is committed
to enhancing sourcing and supplier oversight procedures to help ensure this does not occur again.

As a Company with a long history of, and a commitment to, providing safe and high-quality products, we
felt this was an important extra step to take. There is nothing more important than ensuring pet parents
can continue to feel confident that they are making the best decision for their pets when they choose
our brands. We are a company that loves pets and understands the responsibility we have in providing
high-quality food for the pets we, and our consumers, love. We are deeply sorry for the concern this has
caused.

Consumers with questions can contact us directly at 800-828-9980, Monday through Friday 9:00 AM –
5:00 PM EST, or email it at http://www.bigheartpet.com/Contact/ContactUs.aspx .

Thank you.

FOLLOW-UP EMAIL TO SMUCKER’S 2/28/18 RE: NOT ANSWERING OUR QUESITONS:

We’ve received your response this morning, but it not only didn’t answer the majority of our questions,
it didn’t even address them.

The questions are key to consumers understanding whether Smucker’s is being forthright in its pledge to
rid the marketplace of food with pentobarbital.

I can only assume that by not answering the questions highlighted below, that you are patently declining
to provide information.
Please let me know if you intend to answer these questions, or if I should proceed with the response you
provided this morning.

This story will air at 5pm EST this evening.

Thanks.
~Lisa

1. What’s the name of the “independent third-party microbiology lab” that determined beef fat
was the single source of contamination?
a. How did they arrive at that conclusion? (methodology used, their LOQ/level of
sensitivity)
b. What other DNA sources did the lab look for?
c. Please explain how the ingredient “beef fat” was the source of contamination when
beef fat is not listed on the ingredient list
d. “Animal fat” is listed on the ingredient list. How did the lab isolated beef fat from a
rendered ingredient, and then further isolated pentobarbital?
2. If a cow was the source of pentobarbital, how did a cow, killed with that drug, get into the
supply chain? Farmers who raise cattle for food are never permitted to use a lethal drug on
livestock in the food supply. From where was that cow sourced?
3. In the interest of transparency, WJLA promptly and willingly provided Smucker’s with all of its
lab results, as well as all additional information the company requested regarding lab
identification and accreditation and methodology. Will Smucker’s provide us with the same?
4. How will Smucker’s employ its robust new quality assurance program that “all products will be
tested for the presence of pentobarbital.”
a. What will be the frequency of testing?
b. How will samples be procured?
c. What lab will be handling those tests?
d. Will the results be publicly available?
e. Why is it necessary to test for this drug if the company is not using euthanized animals
in its products?
5. What’s the status of the product withdrawal? How many units does Smucker’s estimate will be,
or have been, pulled from shelves? What is the estimated value of those units? Will the
products pulled be destroyed?