<PAGE>   1


                              April 20, 2001                      Exhibit 10(xi)

HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL
-------------------

Leveraged Incentive Plan Participants


       DEFERRAL OF POTENTIAL PRO-RATA 2000 LEVERAGED INCENTIVE PLAN AWARD

As a participant in the 2000 Leveraged Incentive Plan (LIP), you may elect at
this time to defer, with the approval of the Company, any pro-rata 2000 LIP
award which may be payable to you immediately prior to the effective time of the
proposed merger with Nestle. While the full performance period of the 2000 LIP
extended through September 30, 2003, the 2000 LIP will terminate upon the
closing of the proposed merger. This pro-rata payment will be based upon
performance during the period starting October 1, 2000, through the date the
merger transaction is finalized.

This deferral election shall apply only to any pro-rata 2000 LIP payment made as
a result of the merger with Nestle. In the event that the merger with Nestle
should not occur, new deferral election materials will be distributed to address
the deferral of the payment which may be payable at the close of the Plan's
three-year performance period, on September 30, 2003, or earlier in accordance
with its terms.

Elections to defer must be made in advance of the determination of the amount of
the pro-rata LIP award in order to effect the deferral for Federal and State
income tax purposes. (PLEASE NOTE THAT DEFERRED LIP AWARDS WILL BE SUBJECT TO
MEDICARE HI TAXES.) Deferrals of LIP awards can be made into any of the fund
options available in the Deferred Compensation Plan for Key Employees at the
time of the deferral. Please note that deferrals into the Ralston Purina Equity
Option will convert to the Prime Rate Option upon the occurrence of certain
types of change in control of the Company, including the proposed merger with
Nestle. See the enclosed Deferred Compensation Plan Prospectus and Prospectus
Supplements which detail the provisions of those fund options. You should also
review Attachment 2, Factors to Consider, for additional information.

If the peer group performance described in the Plan is met during the
determination period ending on the date of the closing of the proposed merger,
the Peer Group Award becomes payable. The deferral of the Peer Group Award will
be mandated for all Plan participants into the Equity Option. A Peer Group Award
will be determined based on aggregate salary for the performance period ending
on the date of the closing of the proposed merger with Nestle.

In making your election, please carefully review the attached Deferred
Compensation Plan Prospectus, Prospectus Supplements and the Factors to
Consider. Keep in mind that YOUR ELECTION TO DEFER MAY NOT BE CHANGED even if
circumstances, such as your personal financial situation, interest rates, or the
price of dividends on Ralston Common Stock change in the future.
<PAGE>   2
Deferral Of 2000 LIP Award
April 20, 2001
Page Two


NO COMPANY MATCH IN THE DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN WILL BE PROVIDED FOR ANY LIP
AWARD DEFERRAL.
---------------

REQUEST FOR DEFERRAL
--------------------

PLEASE RETURN ONE COPY OF THE ELECTION FORM (ATTACHMENT 3) BY APRIL 30, 2001,
WHETHER OR NOT YOU WISH TO REQUEST A DEFERRAL. A duplicate form is attached for
your records. Your election must be received by the Compensation Department no
later than April 30, 2001 or you will not be eligible to defer any pro-rata 2000
Leveraged Incentive Plan award. The deferral of the pro-rata 2000 LIP award is
at the discretion of the Company and is subject to its approval.

Please note that if you choose to defer your potential award to retirement, it
will be paid out in a lump sum unless you have filed a timely election to
receive payments under the Deferred Compensation Plan in the form of five or ten
year installments.

If you have any questions, please call me at 314-982-2325 or Pat Robbins at
314-982-5889.




                                                   Ron Sheban - 1A

Enclosures
<PAGE>   3
April 20, 2001             FACTORS TO CONSIDER                      Attachment 2

Under current Federal and State income tax laws, you will not be taxed on any
deferral amounts or any earnings on those deferral amounts until you actually
receive payments of cash. At that time, amounts received will be taxed as
ordinary income in the year received. If you are subject to the income tax laws
of a foreign country, you should consult your personal tax advisor regarding the
proper tax treatment.

The IRS may challenge a deferral of income if the timing of the deferral
election does not satisfy certain IRS criteria. In such event, the IRS may deem
the entire LIP Award to have been constructively received and subject to income
taxes at the time the award became payable.

All wages, without limit, and whether or not deferred, are subject to the
Medicare Hospital Insurance (HI) Tax of 1.45% (a component of FICA). Since
deferred compensation is subject to the HI Tax, THE HI TAX ATTRIBUTABLE TO ANY
PORTION OF THE LIP AWARD YOU ELECT TO DEFER WILL BE WITHHELD FROM THE PAYCHECK
NEXT FOLLOWING THE DATE OF THE CREDITING OF YOUR DEFERRAL. (A deferred LIP award
is also subject to Social Security withholding to the extent the Social Security
taxable wage base has not been satisfied at the time the award is earned).

The Purina Retirement Plan definition of "final average earnings" includes
deferred compensation. Therefore, under the terms of that plan, your pension
will be calculated to include both deferred and non-deferred LIP awards, subject
to the overall IRS plan compensation limit of $170,000 and other IRS limits.
Both deferred and non-deferred LIP awards are also included in the definition of
"final average earnings" for purposes of the Supplemental Retirement Plan
(SERP), if you are eligible to participate in that plan. Additionally, under the
terms of the SERP, any LIP awards paid or deferred during a short calendar year
in which occurs your termination of employment or retirement, will be credited
for purpose of the definition of "final average earnings", as though the award
were earned during the immediately preceding completed calendar year of
employment.

If you are a participant in the Savings Investment Plan (SIP) or the Executive
SIP (EXSIP), LIP awards voluntarily deferred will not be included in your
compensation for purposes of computing your SIP or EXSIP contribution or the
Company matching contribution. Please note, however, that SIP contributions are
deducted from the Short-Term Prime Rate cash payment of short-term deferrals
made in January to active participants. The EXSIP takes into account any
compensation that is subject to a MANDATED deferral by the Company.

In evaluating the Ralston Purina Equity Option, consider the length of time your
investment in stock equivalents subjects your deferral to market risks. Also
consider long-range economic and political conditions, the prospects of the
business underlying the stock, and whether the Company will be willing and able
to declare and pay dividends to create dividend equivalents. DEFERRALS INTO THE
RALSTON PURINA EQUITY OPTION WILL CONVERT TO THE PRIME RATE OPTION UPON THE
OCCURRENCE OF A CHANGE IN CONTROL OF THE COMPANY, AS DEFINED IN THE DEFERRED
COMPENSATION PLAN FOR KEY EMPLOYEES. THE NESTLE MERGER, AS PROPOSED, CONSTITUTES
A CHANGE IN CONTROL UNDER THE TERMS OF THE PLAN.

The Prime Rate Option will credit interest equivalents on your deferred amounts
daily based on the average of the close of business prime rates. These
equivalents may vary substantially depending on changes in interest rates.
<PAGE>   4
FACTORS TO CONSIDER
PAGE 2
APRIL 20, 2001


The Vanguard measurement funds offer flexibility and generally mirror the SIP
funds. For the Measurement Fund options, deferred amounts will earn returns
(which may be positive or negative) as if they had invested at the net asset
value (net of investment advisory fees) of the investment funds on which the
measurement is based. These funds are used for measurement purposes only. Your
account will be credited with investment returns based on these funds but will
be reflected as a bookkeeping entry only and will not represent an actual
investment made on your behalf. Again, consider all the factors above before
selecting a deferral into one of these funds.

Any Peer Group award will be mandatorily deferred into the Equity Option, which
will then be transferred to the Prime Rate Option at the time of the merger with
Nestle or upon certain other types of change in control. Transfers are available
to any of the funds (other than Peer Group award deferrals until after a change
in control). Transfers can be made by contacting Clark/Bardes Consulting,
Compensation Resource Group (CRG) at 1-800-405-0911.

Benefits under The Deferred Compensation Plan for Key Employees are unfunded. In
considering the options, you should note that your right to receive
distributions from the Plan is that of a general creditor of Ralston Purina
Company.

The Pension Source Act prohibits a state from taxing installment payments made
over a ten-year period to a former resident who is residing in a non-income tax
bearing state at the time the installment payments are made.

Consider your deferral participation carefully and consult your personal advisor
if you have any questions. Please refer to the enclosed Deferred Compensation
Plan Prospectus and Prospectus Supplements dated December 1, 2000, January 30,
2001 and March 30, 2001 for more details.


YOUR ELECTION TO DEFER MAY NOT BE CHANGED FOR ANY REASON.
---------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>   5
                LEVERAGED INCENTIVE PLAN (LIP) 2000 PRO-RATA AWARD
APRIL 20, 2001                 DEFERRAL ELECTION                    ATTACHMENT 3


Please submit my request as follows with respect to the pro-rata 2000 Leveraged
Incentive Plan (LIP) award which may become payable to me as a result of the
closing of the proposed merger with Nestle:
CHECK ONE BOX BELOW:

[ ] NO DEFERRAL       Check here if you do not wish to defer any portion of any
                      pro-rata 2000 LIP cash incentive award. Ignore items 1) 2)
                      and 3) and proceed to bottom section.

[ ] DEFERRAL          Check here if you wish to defer any portion of any
                      pro-rata 2000 LIP cash incentive award. Complete items 1)
                      2) and 3) and the bottom section.

    1)     FILL IN ONE BLANK ONLY:

           Defer          %  OR
                 ---------

           Defer all up to $                     OR
                            -------------------

           Defer all in excess of $
                                   -------------------------

    2)     I elect to receive ______% of my LIP deferral amount as a short-term
           payout in January of the first calendar year following the effective
           date of the deferral (e.g. January, 2002 if the pro-rata payment is
           awarded in calendar year 2001) with interest calculated under the
           terms of the Prime Rate Option, PAYABLE IN LUMP SUM. IF YOU CHOOSE TO
           DEFER 100% OF YOUR ELIGIBLE LIP AWARD SHORT-TERM, DO NOT COMPLETE
           ITEM #3.

           I elect to receive _____% of my LIP deferral amount as an
           intermediate-term payout in January following, _____ years (minimum
           of 3) from the date the deferral is effected. For example, if the
           merger with Nestle occurs by December 31, 2001, you may receive
           payment as early as January, 2005. Such amount shall be PAYABLE IN
           LUMP SUM ONLY.

           I elect to receive _____% of my LIP deferral amount as a retirement
           payment.

    3)     Please allocate the amount indicated in item 1) above to the
           following account(s):
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

           <S>                                          <C>
           ______%   RALSTON PURINA EQUITY OPTION*      ______%   VANGUARD INTERNATIONAL GROWTH FUND

           ______%   PRIME RATE OPTION                  ______%   VANGUARD LIFESTRATEGY INCOME FUND

           ______%   VANGUARD WELLINGTON FUND           ______%   VANGUARD LIFESTRATEGY CONSERVATIVE GROWTH FUND

           ______%   VANGUARD 500 INDEX FUND            ______%   VANGUARD LIFESTRATEGY MODERATE GROWTH FUND

           ______%   VANGUARD WINDSOR II FUND           ______%   VANGUARD LIFESTRATEGY GROWTH FUND

           ______%   VANGUARD SMALL-CAP INDEX FUND       100  %
                                                        ______
</TABLE>

    *NOTE: DEFERRALS INTO THE RALSTON PURINA EQUITY OPTION WILL CONVERT TO THE
    PRIME RATE OPTION UPON THE OCCURRENCE OF A CHANGE IN CONTROL OF THE
    COMPANY, AS DEFINED IN THE DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN FOR KEY EMPLOYEES.
    THE PROPOSED MERGER WITH NESTLE WOULD CONSTITUTE SUCH A CHANGE IN CONTROL.

THERE IS NO COMPANY MATCH IN THE DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN ON ANY LIP DEFERRALS

    I UNDERSTAND THAT ANY DECISION REGARDING ANY PRO-RATA 2000 LIP CASH
    INCENTIVE AWARD RESULTING FROM THE PROPOSED MERGER THAT MAY BE PAID TO ME OR
    DEFERRED FOR FUTURE PAYMENT IS AT THE DISCRETION OF THE COMPANY. I FURTHER
    UNDERSTAND THAT AN ELECTION TO DEFER, ONCE MADE, IS IRREVOCABLE.


----------------------                 -----------------------------------------
Social Security Number                 Signature

----------------------                 -----------------------------------------
Today's Date                           Name (Type or Print)

----------------------                 -----------------------------------------
Department                             Office Location                 Extension

----------------------                 -----------------------------------------
Home Street Address                    City             State           Zip Code


              RETURN TO COMPENSATION DEPARTMENT - 1A, ST. LOUIS, MO
                          NO LATER THAN APRIL 30, 2001