Scotts Expands its Voluntary Wild Bird Food Suet Recall to Include an Additional Seven Products

CONTACT: JIM KING SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, CORPORATE AFFAIRS (937) 578-5622

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — MARYSVILLE, OHIO – MARCH 20, 2009 – THE SCOTTS COMPANY LLC (“COMPANY”) ANNOUNCED TODAY AN EXPANSION OF THE VOLUNTARY WILD BIRD FOOD SUET RECALL. THE EXPANDED VOLUNTARY RECALL WILL INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL SEVEN (7) VARIETIES OF WILD BIRD FOOD SUET PRODUCTS AND ADDITIONAL MANUFACTURING DATE CODES OF THE FIVE (5) VARIETIES PREVIOUSLY RECALLED. THESE ADDITIONAL PRODUCTS MAY CONTAIN PEANUT MEAL FROM THE PEANUT CORPORATION OF AMERICA’S (“PCA”) FACILITIES IN EITHER TEXAS OR VIRGINIA, AND HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BE CONTAMINATED WITH SALMONELLA. CEREAL BYPRODUCTS COMPANY (“CBC”), THE COMPANY’S BROKER, SUPPLIED THE COMPANY WITH THE PEANUT MEAL FROM THESE LOCATIONS.

SALMONELLA CAN AFFECT ANIMALS AND THERE IS RISK TO HUMANS FROM HANDLING CONTAMINATED BIRD SEED AND/OR PET FOOD PRODUCTS. PEOPLE HANDLING WILD BIRD FOOD CAN BECOME INFECTED WITH SALMONELLA, ESPECIALLY IF THEY HAVE NOT THOROUGHLY WASHED THEIR HANDS AFTER HAVING CONTACT WITH THE PRODUCT OR ANY SURFACES EXPOSED TO THESE PRODUCTS. HEALTHY PEOPLE INFECTED WITH SALMONELLA SHOULD MONITOR THEMSELVES FOR SOME OR ALL OF THE FOLLOWING SYMPTOMS: NAUSEA, VOMITING, DIARRHEA OR BLOODY DIARRHEA, ABDOMINAL CRAMPING AND FEVER. RARELY, SALMONELLA CAN RESULT IN MORE SERIOUS AILMENTS, INCLUDING ARTERIAL INFECTIONS, ENDOCARDITIS, ARTHRITIS, MUSCLE PAIN, EYE IRRITATION, AND URINARY TRACT SYMPTOMS. CONSUMERS EXHIBITING THESE SIGNS AFTER HAVING CONTACT WITH THIS PRODUCT SHOULD CONTACT THEIR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS.

DUE TO THIS EXPANDED RECALL, THE COMPANY HAS REQUESTED THAT ITS RETAILERS, DISTRIBUTORS, SUB-DISTRIBUTORS, AND DISTRIBUTORS’ RETAILERS RECALL THE AFFECTED PRODUCTS WITH THE LOT CODES SPECIFICALLY SET FORTH BELOW, FORWARD ALL RECALL COMMUNICATIONS DOWN THE DISTRIBUTION CHAIN, REMOVE THESE PRODUCTS FROM RETAIL SHELVES OR WAREHOUSES, AND RETURN THEM TO THE COMPANY. IN ADDITION, THE COMPANY HAS AGAIN REQUESTED THAT THOSE PARTIES THAT SELL THE AFFECTED PRODUCTS RESPOND TO CONSUMER QUESTIONS BY TELLING THEM TO THROW THE PRODUCT AWAY, AVOID TOUCHING UNSEALED PRODUCT WITH BARE HANDS, AND WASH THEIR HANDS THOROUGHLY AFTER TOUCHING UNSEALED PRODUCT.

AT THIS TIME, THE COMPANY HAS NOT RECEIVED ANY REPORTS OF ILLNESS INVOLVING ITS PRODUCTS THAT MAY CONTAIN PCA PEANUT MEAL, AND IT IS NO LONGER OBTAINING OR USING ANY PEANUT PRODUCTS FROM PCA-OWNED FACILITIES. NONETHELESS, THE COMPANY ANNOUNCED THE EXPANDED RECALL OF THE FOLLOWING PRODUCTS MANUFACTURED BETWEEN MAY 13, 2008 AND FEBRUARY 8, 2009, WITH THE SPECIFIC MANUFACTURING DATE CODES BELOW:

THE COMPANY’S “NO QUIBBLE” GUARANTEE HIGHLIGHTS THE COMPANY’S COMMITMENT TO QUALITY AND SATISFACTION. TO RECEIVE A REPLACEMENT PRODUCT OR REFUND FOR ANY OF THE RECALLED WILD BIRD FOOD SUET PRODUCTS, CONSUMERS CAN CONTACT THE COMPANY’S CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT 1-866-512-8876, OR AT WWW.SCOTTSWILDBIRDFOOD.COM.