October 3, 2007

Tembec quietly pulls out from feed business

American feed maker Tembec Inc., based in Ohio has quit from the feed binding agents supply. The company is also known for its wood products.

The move came after the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found that its products contained unapproved additives including melamine, which has been linked to cat and dog deaths from tainted pet food several months ago.

According to Tembec spokeswoman Tracy Dottori, the withdrawal from the feed business "is a process that occurred months ago," adding, "it's over and done with."

The company did not publicly disclose the decision to withdrawal from the feed business.

The FDA's official warning letter to Tembec was on June 29, acknowledging the company's recall of all feed-binding agents shipped since February 2004 because of the presence of melamine.

The official added the plant "has decided to permanently discontinue manufacturing any products regulated by the FDA."

Most of the feed made with Tembec's binders was used on shrimp farms outside the US. The binder was a minor part of a minor part, so the concentrations are very low, another spokesman for Tembec said.