Food Safety Recommendations: Crisis CommunicationsFarmers Market Federation of NY

Cornell Cooperative Extension, Jefferson County

Funded by USDA AMS

Goal of Crisis CommunicationsEffective Crisis Communication can help to:•keep the event from rising to the level of crisis•Minimize the impact of the crisis on the farm/market/organization•Allows the farm/market/organization to control the situation•Ensures messages are accurately and quickly disseminated, understood and accepted•See that the farm/market/organization is seen in a positive light•Ensure that messages result in meaningful and appropriate actions

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Goal of Crisis CommunicationsIneffective crisis communications can:•Raise levels of pubic anxiety, fear and fuel rumors•Result in inaccurate perceptions of risk•Result in exaggerated allegations and claims•Result in injury or harm•Result in negative image of the farm/market/organization•Result in loss of consumer confidence

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A Crisis at Your Market, Farm or CSA

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Crisis Communication Team

#1 Contact NYSDOH and NYSDAM for guidance#2 seek counsel from:•a legal representative•Your insurance agent•Public relations expert#3 Have a prepared protocol to follow

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Create a Crisis Communication Team

• Team should consist of:– farm owner, CSA or market manager– Key staff members – Communications professional

• Crisis Communications committee should:– Conduct a Crisis Audit– Formulate response message– Designate spokesperson– Define roles of all individuals involved– Create a crisis plan

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The Crisis Audit

1. Potential vulnerabilities 2. Document current policies and procedures 3. Document and understand any relevant

legislation

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The Crisis Plan

• Identifies the crisis response team• Identifies roles of all members of the

organization• Identifies stakeholders, media contacts• Develops crisis scenarios with appropriate

course of action for each• Creates the position statement (message)

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Proactive MeasuresWhy respond?•You have an opportunity to control the message– Thorough explanation of what happened, when

and where– Include what you are doing to fix the problem

•You will be building a public image as responsible and customer-focused•Wouldn’t you want to know– Be ethical and responsible

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Golden Rules of Crisis Communications

1. Respond swiftly– Be the first to tell your story

2. Know the facts– Don’t respond to rumors– Tell exactly what happened– If you don’t know the answer to a question,

find the answer and respond then

3. Be accessible

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Reactive Measures• Set up a Google alert with your farm name,

your market’s name and vendor names– News articles– Social media postings

• Key word suggestions– Food safety– Food borne illness– Use specific crops; i.e. tomato, peppers, etc– Farmers markets

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The Right Way to react Online

• Join in the conversations by monitoring where your name appears online– DO ignore overly hostile comments– DO respond to concerns– DO NOT comment on hypothetical events that

have nothing to do with you or your farm– DO NOT assume someone’s culpability– DO NOT get into a lengthy back and forth

discussion. Suggest an offline conversation

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When a Crisis Occurs with Your Product or Within Your Market

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How to Retain Customers1. Open your doors– Show the public your “new” farm, policies – Give your farm/market a face – easier to forgive a

face than an organization2. Do something new– Use the increased media attention to your benefit

3. Support the positive, minimize the negative– Discuss the value to place on customer safety

4. Be patient– This was a single event, not a defining trait

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Preventive Maintenance

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What you can do today1. Follow food safety guidelines2. Send a press release highlighting your efforts to

promote food safety 3. Signage: “Food safety measures are in place”4. Signage: “Four Rules of Food Safety: Clean, Separate,

Cook, Chill”5. Pass out fact sheets on safe transport, storage,

preparation and handling of food.6. Launch a “Food Safety Awareness Day/Week/Month7. Use social media to stress your dedication to food

safety

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Resources• www.PRSA.org Public Relations Society of

America• http://plantsforhumanhealth.ncsu.edu/exte

nsion/marketready/pdfs-ppt/NC%20MarketReady%20Crisis%20Communications%20Training%20Guide.pdf

• http://www.foodsafety.ksu.edu/articles/313/crisis_communication_planning_manual.pdf

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Project CommitteeProject Leaders:•Diane Eggert, Farmers Market Federation of NY•Amanda Root, CCE Jefferson County•Katherine Lang, CCE St. Lawrence County•Rosalind Cook, CCE Jefferson County

Committee:•Betsy Bihn, National GAPs Administrator•John Lukor, NYSDAM, Food Safety Division•Dave Wyman, Wyman & Associates Insurance•Lindsay Ott, Lindsay Ott Communications•Laura Biasillo, CCE Broome County•Isabel Prescott, Riverview Orchards•Phil Harnden, Garden Share•JoEllen Saumier, Kirbside Gardens•Solveig Hanson, Harris Seeds•Michelle Sherman, University of Minnesota•Bob Buccieri, Seneca Falls Farmers Market•Robert Hadad, Cornell Ag Team

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QUESTIONS?

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