FENNEMORE CRAIG, P.C.
EXHIBIT 5.4
XXXXXXXXX XXXXX, P.C.
0000 Xxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Phoenix, Arizona 85012-2913
(000) 000-0000
Law Offices | ||||||
Phoenix | (000) 000-0000 | |||||
Tucson | (000) 000-0000 | |||||
Nogales | (000) 000-0000 | |||||
Las Vegas | (000) 000-0000 | |||||
Denver | (303) 291-3200 |
March 8, 2010
Central Garden & Pet Company
0000 Xxxxx Xxxx., Xxxxx 000
Walnut Creek, CA 94597
Re: | Senior Subordinated Note Guarantee by Farnam Companies, Inc. and Seeds West, Inc. |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as special Arizona counsel to Farnam Companies, Inc., an Arizona corporation (“Farnam”) and Seeds West, Inc., an Arizona corporation (“Seeds West”) in connection with the Registration Statement on Form S-3, File No. 333-161663, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on September 1, 2009 (the “Registration Statement”), and the related prospectus contained in the Registration Statement, as supplemented by the final Prospectus Supplement, dated February 25, 2010, filed with the Commission under its Rule 424(b) (together, the “Prospectus”) by Central Garden & Pet Company (“Central”), as issuer and certain guarantors, including Farnam and Seeds West, relating to: (i) the issuance by Central of $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 8.25% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2018 (collectively, the “Notes”); and (ii) the issuance by each of Farnam and Seeds West of a guarantee (each, a “Guarantee”) along with the issuance by certain other guarantors of guarantees with respect to the Notes.
The Notes will be issued under and pursuant to the base indenture, to be dated as of March 8, 2010 (the “Base Indenture”), among Central, as issuer, and Xxxxx Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee, as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture, dated March 8, 2010 (the “First Supplemental Indenture”) among Central, other direct and indirect subsidiaries, including Farnam and Seeds West, as guarantors, and Xxxxx Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee (together, with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”).
As special Arizona counsel to Xxxxxx and Seeds West, we have examined executed copies of, but have not participated in the negotiation, preparation or settlement of:
(a) the Indenture;
XXXXXXXXX XXXXX, P.C.
Central Garden & Pet Company
March 8, 2010
Page 2
(b) the First Supplemental Indenture;
(c) the Guarantee of Farnam;
(d) the Guarantee of Seeds West; and
(e) the resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors of each of Farnam and Seeds West pertaining to the authorization, issuance, execution and delivery of the Supplemental Indenture and the Guarantee issued pursuant to the Indenture.
The documents listed in items (a)-(e) above are herein sometimes collectively referred to as the “Documents.”
We have examined such records of each of Farnam and Seeds West, such certificates of officers of each of Farnam and Seeds West, public officials and others and originals, copies or facsimiles of such other agreements, instruments, certificates and documents as we have deemed necessary or advisable as a basis for the opinions expressed below. In particular, as to certain matters of fact relevant to the opinions expressed below, we have relied on certificates of officers of each of Farnam and Seeds West, copies of which have been provided to you.
For the purposes of our opinions expressed below, we have assumed (without independent investigation or verification):
(a) the genuineness and authenticity of all signatures (whether on originals or copies of documents);
(b) the legal capacity of all natural persons;
(c) the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, and the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as notarial, certified, conformed, photostatic or facsimile copies thereof;
(d) that there have been no erroneous statements of fact made in any certificates of public officials, and we have relied on the completeness and accuracy of the public records and the currency of the information contained therein as of the dates indicated therein, although such records are known on occasion to contain errors and to be otherwise incomplete; and
(e) the completeness and accuracy of all statements of fact set forth in the Documents and all other documents reviewed by us, including without limitations the certificates of officers of each of Farnam and Seeds West.
The opinions expressed below are limited to the published constitutions, treaties, laws, rules, regulations or judicial or administrative decisions of the State of Arizona, in effect as at the date hereof, and the facts and circumstances as they exist on the date hereof, and we express no opinion herein as to the laws, or as to matters governed by the laws, of any other jurisdiction.
XXXXXXXXX XXXXX, P.C.
Central Garden & Pet Company
March 8, 2010
Page 3
Based and relying upon and subject to the foregoing, we are of the opinion that as at the date hereof:
1. Each of Farnam and Seeds West has been duly organized and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the Arizona.
2. The execution and delivery by each of Farnam and Seeds of West of the First Supplemental Indenture and the performance of their respective obligations thereunder have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of each of Farnam and Seeds West and the First Supplemental Indenture has been duly executed and delivered (to the extent such delivery is governed by the law of the State of Arizona) by each of Farnam and Seeds West.
3. The Guarantee of Farnam has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by Xxxxxx.
4. The Guarantee of Seeds West has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by Seeds West.
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxxx LLP may rely on this opinion in connection with its opinion, dated the date hereof, and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
This opinion speaks as of its date, and we undertake no (and hereby disclaim any) obligation to update this opinion.
Very truly yours, |
/s/ Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxx, P.C. |
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxx, P.C. |
SSTR/BS:rj