Need for Report on Process of Evaluating Strategic Options

Forum for Shareholders of Farmer Bros. Co.

2007 Conclusion

Forum activities relating to Farmer Bros. Co. were suspended in 2007, following the second year of new management.

Need for Report on Process of Evaluating Strategic Options

(July 10, 2003)

Copied below is a letter to the board of Farmer Bros. Co. seeking a company report on the status of management's evaluations of strategic options, following an "Auction Block" report in The Deal that the process had been "suspended." Previous Deal "Auction Block" reports, as well as other news articles, had relied on the statement in an April 30, 3003 company press release that management intended to evaluate strategic options "in the best interests of all shareholders."

The letter also refers to other recent requests for information addressing questions raised by "differing reports" about the Chairman's health and ability to perform his duties.

[letterhead]

LUTIN & COMPANY

575 Madison Avenue

New York, New York 10022

Telephone (212) 605-0335

Facsimile (212) 605-0325

July 10, 2003

By telecopier: 310/320-2436

Messrs. Guenter W. Berger,

Lewis A. Coffman,

Roy E. Farmer,

Roy F. Farmer,

Thomas Maloof,

John H. Merrell, and

John Samore, Jr.

c/o Farmer Bros. Co.

20333 South Normandie Avenue

Torrance, California 90502

To the members of the board of directors of Farmer Bros. Co.:

Earlier this week there was a brief note in The Deal, a publication for investment professionals, that Farmer Bros. had "suspended" its previously reported process of evaluating strategic options. No other reports on the current status of the evaluation process could be found in searches of SEC filings and news databases.

This report naturally raises questions about the results of management's commitment to evaluate what will be "in the best interests of all shareholders," as stated in the company's April 30, 2003 press release.

Public investors must be able to rely on the company for reliable information about the status of these strategic evaluations, as well as the recently addressed issue of the Chairman's condition or other matters which may be critical to investment decisions. You are therefore urged to report whatever information would be required in SEC disclosures for shareholder consideration of a proposal.

Sincerely yours,

Gary Lutin

cc: John M. Anglin, Esquire

Mr. John E. Simmons

The Forum is open to all Farmer Bros. shareholders, whether institutional or individual, and to professionals concerned with their investment decisions. Its purpose is to provide shareholders with access to information and a free exchange of views on issues relating to their evaluations of alternatives. As stated in the Forum's Conditions of Participation, participants are expected to make independent use of information obtained through the Forum, subject to the privacy rights of other participants. It is a Forum rule that participants will not be identified or quoted without their explicit permission.

There is no charge for participation. Franklin Mutual Advisers, LLC, the manager of funds owning approximately 12.6% of Farmer Bros. shares, provided initial sponsorship for the Forum and arranged for it to be chaired by Gary Lutin. Continuing support and guidance of the Forum is provided by an Advisory Panel of actively interested shareholders.

For additional information or to be included in an email distribution list, send an inquiry to farm@shareholderforum.com.