Who regulates TO??

Granted, my opinion is my opinion, I don't have to have fact to back up an opinion or concern, although in this case I do.
 
I have every right to voice that opinion, just like you are voicing yours. I'm not telling anyone what to do, just stating my personal thoughts and experiences.
 
Frankly just finding mixed kibble types in bags was enough to convince me that their quality control sucks and I'm not willing to risk my pets since I don't know what else their crappy quality control effects.

 

Voicing 'opinions' and 'concerns' is making a judgement based on facts and correct information. Not suspicions and speculation made without having gone to the source. In this case the 'source' has ALL the information listed. One only needed to LOOK.

Secondly ,  I happen to be a distributor for TO and have some direct imput from time to time. They're an up and coming company w/a good product. Yeah, they grew a little too big , too fast BECAUSE they are a GOOD PRODUCT and that can be an overwhelming thing for ANY small company to deal with.  YES , they've made mistakes and are trying to 'iron out the kinks' but there is no reason to keep badmouthing them.  There are plenty of people who have had nothing but good experiences w/TO.

Thirdly I happen to be the most knowledgeable person on this board when it comes to TO and I don't like people stirring up trouble w/unfounded speculation. Sure... they have crappy CS..that's a FACT, they were using up old bags.. that's a FACT but all this nonsense about not being 'AAFCO approved' when there IS no such approval and something someone else mentioned on another thread about their food being produced by DIAMOND, is just a bunch of pure garbage NOT based on any fact at all.

  If Kelly doesn't like the brand, fine. She doesn't have to buy it. Her experience is NOT everyone elses experience.  But even as a consumer I NEVER take anyone's 'opinion' for anything without doing some FACT finding on my own and going to reliable source.

 
Again, voicing concerns is not potstirring or fear mongering.  Had people not posted concerns about Merrick products, how many unsuspecting folks would still be feeding that brand not KNOWING that they needed to watch for big chunks of plastic or shipping staples?
 
I won't say that you are or are not the most knowledgeable when it comes to TO or any other product.  I personally think that's a pretty lofty title to claim.  But again, Sharon, you are posting your OPINION as if it is fact and that's not right.

I am so tired of answering questions about TO when ALL of the information is on the website.

 
Then PLEASE - do us ALL a favor and just STOP. 

ORIGINAL: myorganicpets

What other 'distributors' have you spoken with ?? Onlynaturalpets ?? They are NOT a distributor. They are a RETAILER and have VERY limited information about the products they sell. Distributors SELL the product to retailers and have to know the product details. The retailers don't care one way or the other about product info. They get the basic product description and ingredients.  They just order it , slap it on their shelves and sell it. Their product knowledge is limited.

 
That's so funny since while you were defending the use of amaranth and trying in vain to get a response from TO, they were able to tell me within a few minutes that TO had removed the ingredient nine months ago. I've found their product knowledge to be extensive, and if they didn't know an answer, then they were able to get one.

In reponse to your post and other posts, I see nothing wrong with raising concerns and I don't consider it fear-mongering. I would say that if I raised concerns in the presence of a food rep and they flew off the handle and called me names, I would probably quit using that food.
 
AAFCO publishes guidelines but they are not an enforcement agency. Companies adhere to these guidelines as a measuring stick. It also reduces their liability. By ensuring that their foods meet or exceed certain guidelines, there is a reasonable expectation that the food will sustain a pet, barring a particular food allergy.
 
Example, I don't recall if the Innova bag carries an AAFCO statement. I do know that you will not find such a statement with the product descriptions at the website, such as Innova Large Adult Dry. On other pages within the site, they, almost begrudgingly, admit to using AAFCO protocols at their plant and testing facility.
 
Nutro, OTOH, has AAFCO feeding trial statements on the packaging and on the website in the product descriptions. I'm not saying they, or any other food is the best in the world, but they have no problems letting you know what standards their foods meet. Even though the FDA requires certain things in labeling and the USDA provides info for the AAFCO, if customers continue to require AAFCO statements on their packaging, the companies will oblige or go out of business.
 
I have two thoughts on the lack of AAFCO statements. The food couldn't pass food trials or meet a calculated equivalent, and therefore, cannot have the statement. Or, they downplay their reliance on AAFCO guidelines in order to attract customers who place no trust in the AAFCO. The second option would be a marketing ploy aimed at humans spending the cash. A third option is that a company in question does not see any value in the AAFCO and does not care to meet its standards and may attract customers of similar mind. IMHO, people of that third option would probably just as soon feed raw, which specifically does not have USDA or FDA approval and (someone can correct me if I'm wrong) there is not a raw recipe with an AAFCO statement.
 
One should never be castigated for asking questions or raising concerns.

WOW geez people! First of all to "myorganicpets" I like TO and was not trying to bash it in any way, and unless you are a representative of TO, don't act like one....and sorry I don't have all the time in the world to read every sentence on their webpage, so I was hoping to find a quick answer here.  ANYWAYS, the AAFCO DOES REGULATE FOOD! Here at NCSU we have an extension specialist who works for the AAFCO and regularly travels to these manufacturing plants and gathers samples to take back to our lab and test the food, then sends the reports to the AAFCO.  If the gauranteed analysis is within a certain range of what is claimed, they don't do anything...if it is not in this range, the company is investigated.  So far our extension specialist said he had never even heard of TO or been asked to go there, which led my curiosity to ask here, AND because on my bag of TO, it didn't say anything about it, which most foods do. 

MYOP, You may know the answer to this, on a couple of other boards there have been rumors that TWO is produced at a Diamond facility, and that was the reason for some of the stock shortages earlier in the year, I know many people on the other boards I belong to are all switching off TWO for that reason, but I have not been able to find definitive proof of this, do you know.
 
Here is the link to one of the boards.
 
[linkage=0&fpart=1&vc=1&nt=4]http://www.germanshepherds.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=548003&age=0&fpart=1&vc=1&nt=4[/link]>http://www.germanshepherds.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=548003&age=0&fpart=1&vc=1&nt=4]http://www.germanshepherds.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=548003&age=0&fpart=1&vc=1&nt=4[/link]

I have heard that too, but there is no proof supporting it, and IMO I highly doubt it....but I understand why people would be concerned if that was the case. 

I know numerous people on other boards that have tried time and time again to  contact TWO regarding the Diamond rumor and thay have not received a reply back, so they are all assuming that the rumor is true and they are switching to other foods.

What Mordanna said about it:
 
"In regards to TWO being made by Diamond - I don't have any proof for that yet, but I do know that TWO do not own a manufacturing plant and have the foods produced under contract somewhere.

In other words, TWO owns the formulations and buys the ingredients from suppliers, which then are shipped to whichever plant they use to have it manufactured and packaged.

I emailed TWO as well but as so many others got no reply.

Diamond reps are not at liberty to disclose *any* information about contract manufacturing - they are reps for Diamond, not for the contracting company.

It's a huge, secret industry and details like that are well kept away from consumers. "
 
I know that TO used to ship from Pennsylvania and they are now shipping from Tennessee.

[linkhttp://forum.dog.com/asp/m.asp?m=20498&mpage=1&key]http://forum.dog.com/asp/m.asp?m=20498&mpage=1&key[/link]=
 
Since the notion has been addressed that TWO may be made by Diamond, I wonder if this posting in another thread would help, or not. Not trying to confuse the issue but I think it's a valid concern to be addressed.
 

 apillon806:  I stopped using TO about a month ago when all the stuff was coming out here about mixed kibble in the same bag,  dog formulas shipped in bags with cat formula labels, and so on. The 33 lb. bag of Ocean Blue I received does say, "Timberwolf Organics pet foods are formulated to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages and have met animal feeding trials using AAFCO procedures to substantiate that they provide complete and balanced nutrition for all life stages." The statement is on the side of the bag at the bottom of several paragraphs which describe the high quality of their food. It is hard to find, perhaps you missed it?
     Since Diamond was mentioned, have any of you seen the report of the results of the inspection by the FDA?
       [linkhttp://www.mordanna.com/dogfood/downloads/FDA_Inspection_Diamond_Gaston.pdf]http://www.mordanna.com/dogfood/downloads/FDA_Inspection_Diamond_Gaston.pdf[/link]
 
  Not only did they find problems with corn, but also chicken meal, wheat, and rice bran. I remember what Diamond was saying when the news broke about the aflatoxin, and it now appears they were lying and have been negligent about the safety of several of the ingredients they use.

The Diamond - TWO connection has spread like wildfire, and it seems like it is negatively affecting TWO, they should put something on their website addressing the issue, one way or another.

I wouldn't buy TO, for the same reason as sooner. How on earth would I know what I was (or was not getting)?
 
 
 

I am so tired of answering questions about TO when ALL of the information is on the website.

 
I usually don't like to get into things like this...
But I am tired of your constant, condescending, abrasive answers like you're better than everyone else.

I do understand the problems TO had in the past, but my pup really seems to like the food.  The bag I bought was consistent with the sample I had, so I haven't had any problems there....although if I was to experience anything like others have (as far as mixed kibbles in a bag or whatever) I definately would discontinue buying it.  But I did notice one thing between the sample and the actual bag....the kibble really stinks!! I obtained samples of all of their brands, and they all smell like normal dog food except the Wild and Natural....it almost smells like a mixture between fish and alfalfa hay (can't really find a better way to describe it, lol).  I assume it's normal, because my pup has been eating it and it all seems to "comes out" ok (for lack of a better word).  Anybody else have any wild and natural that stinks? If it's normal, I have no quams, but I just wanted to make sure I didn't get anything weird....